Will you Let me Love You?
by Zammie4eva
Summary: AU Gaara/Naruto highschool fic. full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

Will you Let me Love You?

AU NaruGaa and high school fic. Naruto loves to draw Gaara, but what happens when he gets to know his secret crush? And how does Sasuke take his best friend hanging with the dangerous red head?

**Words in Japanese: **

**Tadaimasu – I'm home**

**Gomen / gomen nasai – sorry / very sorry**

**Nani? / Eh? or What?**

**Itadakimasu! – Thanks for the food!**

**Hai – yes **

**Ohayou / ohayou gozaimasu – morning / good morning **

Naruto Uzumaki sat studying the teen like every Tuesday afternoon. The red head was leaning against the brick wall of the school, arms folded over his chest.

His sea-foam eyes were as piercing as ever as he scowled at the ground, like it had offended him. The blonde watching him sighed dreamily.

Naruto sat in a fork of a tree nearby, sketchpad resting comfortably on his leg, indulging in his favourite hobby, sketching the brooding red head.

The blonde artist took great care and patience getting the flick of each spike of red hair perfect; to capture the scowl on his face and the way his nose was crinkled.

Said brooding teen was sporting a black T-shirt with a red spiral design on it, black jeans, which were a little tight – (a fact that did not go unnoticed by the blonde) and sneakers.

He had his red satchel slung across his body, resting on his right thigh, his left leg curled up under him, foot resting on the wall like was going to kick off it.

His name was Sabaku no Gaara – more commonly known as Gaara of the Desert.

He and his family moved from Suna almost five months ago, and he had still made no attempt to befriend anyone.

Temari and Kankuro, his older siblings, had become quite popular, but it was rumoured that the siblings hated each other, and Gaara never sat with them.

Right now Gaara was waiting for his brother so they could go home; Temari had already left for work with her boyfriend Shikamaru Nara.

Kankuro was busy shagging his girlfriend Sakura Haruno in a broom closet near the gymnasium, so Naruto knew Gaara would be waiting for a while.

He took advantage of this opportunity to draw him, like every Tuesday afternoon.

His collection of drawings of the teen was steadily growing, and though many would have found it creepy, Naruto just loved to draw Gaara.

Gaara had an aura surrounding him. It was a deadly aura, which promised death to those around him, and screamed hatred, and most of all, danger.

Gaara was known to send many people screaming with just a glare. He never spoke, the most Naruto had ever heard him utter were simple one-word sentences.

Even the teachers were deathly afraid of him. One look from Gaara made everyone in the vicinity fall silent, and terrified. They were many rumours about him.

Some said he killed his mother and uncle when he was a child, others said he kept the bodies of people he murdered in the basement.

And while it was true that Gaara came to school covered in blood most days, and he glared at everyone and everything, Naruto had never seen him harm someone.

While others were repelled by Gaara's cloud of death, Naruto was drawn in by it. Call him masochistic, but he had loved the red head since he'd first seen him.

Now, Naruto didn't call what he felt 'love at first sight' or 'a love destined to happen' or anything cheesy like that. He simply, and utterly, loved Sabaku no Gaara.

Gaara's eyes shifted just as Naruto was adding colour to his drawing, momentarily distracted Naruto looked up to see what had caused this sudden movement.

Kankuro came into view, clothes out of place and hair a mess, grinning sheepishly.

Gaara said nothing as he straightened up and walked straight past his brother, not even acknowledging the other was there, Kankuro followed him to their car.

As Naruto heard the car drive off, he felt his inspiration disappear and suddenly didn't feel like drawing anymore.

He decided to finish the drawing when he was in the mood, otherwise it wouldn't turn out as good. He packed up his coloured pencils, pastels, brushes and sketchpad.

He slung his bag over his shoulder, jumped out from the tree and walked home to his apartment.

Living nearly half way across town, it wasn't surprising he got home as the sun was setting.

"Tadaimasu," he called to the empty apartment. He didn't know why he did that every afternoon, it was just a habit he had.

Once he had owned a cat called Misty, but she died of old age so there was never anyone waiting at home for him, but he still announced his presence to the building.

He put his school bag on his bed and sank into the chair by his desk.

He looked out at the setting sun; even the red in the sky couldn't match Gaara's fiery spikes.

In the mood to draw once again, he pulled out his unfinished sketch and his pastels, and started to gently add colour, starting with Gaara's hair.

Naruto had a sketch for every one of Gaara's moods. Yes, Gaara had moods, just like everyone else.

No one cared to look though; all they saw was hatred and blankness.

But Naruto – who had been eye stalking Gaara for months – had seen a (very small) palette of moods on the stoic teenager's face.

Naruto had a sketch when Gaara was upset; he did the background in blue to emphasize the emotion.

It was hard to tell when the red head was upset, but whenever his eyes travelled to the ground and he had no scowl on his face, he was either upset or lonely, Naruto couldn't figure out which.

Naruto had a sketch when Gaara was angry – this time the background was in oranges and yellows – Gaara's eyes would narrow to slits and his mouth contorted into an animalistic snarl.

His hands would clench and unclench uncontrollably, and it was rumoured he sent Neji Hyuuga to the emergency room while he was in this mood.

Fortunately this 'super anger' as Naruto called it, only happened once and a while, but you'd be wise to stay out of his way when it did happen.

When Gaara was annoyed, his mouth mashed into a tight line and he gave a glare through semi-narrowed eyes, and of course Naruto had many sketches of that.

He had a sketch of when Gaara was bored, his eyes glazed over and his hands began to fidget with whatever they could find, even his spiky hair seemed flatter.

When Gaara was distracted or in deep thought, his arms were loosely folded over his chest, and his eyes stared out into space, out a window usually.

His face held no scowl, no malice, no blankness; it was just – in Naruto's opinion – soft. His hair would flutter in the breeze lazily and he wouldn't raise a hand to stop it.

His mouth didn't hang open like Naruto's, it remained closed, but it no longer looked forced to stay that way.

Naruto had done the background in purples or sometimes pinks in these sketches.

But for the life of him, Naruto had never seen Gaara smile, not once, not even anything that resembled happiness, and Naruto wondered why.

It disturbed him.

Once had finished he shaded the background in grey and put his sketchpad down. He looked out the window, the sun had gone down.

Naruto went into the kitchen and made himself some instant ramen; he waited the painful three minutes then got out some chopsticks to eat.

"Itadakimasu!" he smiled as he dug in to his ramen. When he was finished he threw out the container and washed the chopsticks.

Feeling warm inside from the food, he took a shower and went to bed.

If he had stayed up a little longer, he would have seen a certain red head on the roof of a house down the street, staring up at the stars.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Outta my way idiot!" Kiba Inuzuka shouted pushing Naruto into the lockers as he barged past him in the hallway.

"Oi watch it bastard!" Naruto shouted back angrily. It was then he realised he'd been pushed in front of someone.

"You're in my way." Said a dark monotone voice. "Gaara!" Naruto spun around to come face to face with the annoyed looking red head.

"Gomen nasai! I'll move," Naruto scurried out of Gaara's way and watched as he walked past, not sparing a glance at him. _I love you. _Naruto sighed. So close!

If only Gaara didn't make him so nervous, he might be able to talk like a normal person then! When he got nervous he tended to babble.

He wasn't aware that he'd stayed where Gaara had left him until Sasuke hit him on the back of the head.

"Owwwww! What was that for Sasuke-teme!" he complained rubbing his head.

"We're going to be late, and it looked like you weren't moving anytime soon." Sasuke said. "Come on dobe, let's go."

Naruto followed his best friend, grumbling under his breath, and they took their seats at the back in their first class – art. Naruto's favourite subject.

Today they were given an assignment. The assignment was to draw – or represent in some way – something that inspired you.

_Well, that's easy. _Thought Naruto, eyeing Gaara, who sat with his head turned to the window, not caring what the teacher said.

Immediately Naruto began to sketch his profile, Gaara had a new mood on his face today: confusion. Naruto wondered why he was confused as he drew.

When he had finished the rough outline he pulled out his eraser to fix it up, but the bell rang and signalled the next class – creative writing.

Naruto groaned, he hated creative writing, he sucked at putting his feelings into words, he preferred to do it through a paintbrush.

"Naruto, I heard there's a fight in the corridor, let's go see!" Sasuke said urgently.

"Okay wait up!" Naruto got up so quickly instead of dropping his sketchpad in his bag, it fell on the ground.

He didn't notice as he hurried after Sasuke to watch the fight. It was between Kiba and Shikamaru.

"What are they fighting over?" Naruto asked Ino Yamanaka. "Kiba reckons Shikamaru was hitting on Hinata." Ino replied.

Hinata Hyuuga was Kiba's girlfriend, though how he managed to get her to go out with him Naruto would never know.

Hinata was a very timid and sweet girl, so maybe she was too scared to say no, because they had nothing in common.

Kiba was mean and a jerk to everyone, and Hinata was nice to everyone, even Gaara. But of course Gaara glared at her and sent her running.

"K-Kiba-kun, l-let's just g-go, ok-kay?" Hinata stuttered trying to pull Kiba away from Shikamaru, where Temari was standing.

"C'mon Shika-kun, let's leave the puppy to his business." Temari said stalking off, Shikamaru in tow.

The crowd soon departed and Sasuke and Naruto went to their second class.

This was the only class in which Gaara paid attention.

Of course Gaara's grades were always perfect and his homework done on time, he never showed any interest in any subject save one. Creative writing.

Today they were continuing on with their short stories. Gaara was sitting at the front, scribbling feverishly over the page.

Naruto abandoned his story – which was about a fox that loved ramen but no one would give him any – to watch him write.

Since he and Sasuke were sitting at the back of the room, Sasuke listening to his ipod, Naruto wasn't able to see very much of Gaara other than his hair, bent over his work as he was.

Naruto reached for his sketchpad, only to realise he didn't have it. In a sudden panic, he looked down at his bag, the sketchpad was gone.

_Must've left it in the classroom, I'll go get it at lunch. Damn, that means I can't draw Gaara. _Naruto thought.

So instead Naruto settled for watching him silently, seeing the ideas flow from his head to the paper, a new expression he only had in creative writing.

Enthusiasm.

And also one Naruto didn't have very many sketches of. Damn it all.

All too soon the bell rang, and Gaara took his time in packing up, unusual since he was usually the first one out.

Naruto sighed and packed up his forgotten workbook. He was surprised therefore when he looked up to see Gaara standing over him.

"You left this in art," he said emotionlessly holding out Naruto's sketchbook.

"Oh! Um, thanks Gaara, thanks." Naruto bowed once and walked off with Sasuke, looking back once at the red head before going to lunch.

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Don't look now but the freak is staring at you," Sasuke said lowly, looking in the direction Naruto knew Gaara sat.

"He is?" Naruto whispered. Sasuke misinterpreted Naruto's excitement for fear and said, "Just don't look at him, don't make eye contact, don't talk to him."

"Right." Naruto mumbled looking down at his uneaten food. "Aren't you hungry?" Sasuke asked. Naruto shook his head numbly.

Had Gaara looked through his sketchpad? If he had, did he think Naruto some kind of stalker?

"…Are you okay Naruto? You're always hungry, you're look kind of pale too are you coming down with something?" Sasuke asked peering intently at his face.

"Huh? Oh no, I'm fine Sasuke don't worry about me!" Naruto said grinning from ear to ear like always.

He started to go on about how cold it was last night, Sasuke nodding and 'hn'ing every once and a while.

Naruto went on to talk about whatever he could think of (being so nervous as he was with Gaara's eyes burning into the back of his head) as they walked to third class.

Suddenly someone pushed past him with their shoulder, Naruto looked and saw Gaara glaring at him. "You talk too much. It's annoying." He said in a deadly tone.

_You talk too much, it's annoying. _Naruto felt like crying. Was he really that annoying? Somehow, coming from Gaara, those words were too much to handle.

Naruto was rendered speechless as Gaara stalked off to gym, but he recovered in time to rush after him before he disappeared.

"Hey um, Gaara?" he called, the teen looked back at him without breaking his stride. "What?" he snapped.

"You know how you found my sketchpad, well you didn't, um, look through it, did you?" Naruto stammered, palms sweating.

"Why would I want to? If you draw the way you talk there'd be nothing but scribble on the pages." Gaara said harshly before turning once again and picking up the pace.

Naruto stopped dumbfounded. That had been the most Gaara had ever spoken before, and it had all been to insult him about the one thing he was proud of.

His drawings. Naruto quickly rubbed his eyes free of the moisture that had gathered there; crying would only give him a headache.

"Naruto hurry up, hey are you okay?" Sasuke said concernedly coming up to him. "Was it the red head freak? Did he say something?"

"No, I'm fine, just had something in my eye. Come on we'll be late!" Naruto said grinning. They went to gym in silence.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Naruto had to pick something up from the art store that afternoon, so he took the shortcut through the Konoha cemetery.

Naruto didn't go by the cemetery much, it reminded him too much of his dead parents, though their bodies had never been found he still didn't like the cemetery.

As Naruto was walking, he heard crying. _Someone's got a dead relative, that sucks. _Naruto thought dismally.

Even thought it wasn't really any of his business, he followed the sounds to see who it was. He was shocked to see it was Gaara.

He stayed silent and unmoving, not sure what to do. If Gaara found out he was there, he'd kill him for sure, but he couldn't just do nothing, he had to comfort Gaara.

His mind made up, he walked forward. The sound made Gaara get up and turn, his eyes red and face streaked with tears.

He scowled as soon as he recognised who it was. "What are doing here Uzumaki?" he snapped wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"I was just walking, until I heard something and wondered what it was, and then I found you." Naruto was surprised he could keep his voice steady.

"Are you okay Gaara?" Naruto asked stepping forward again. "Get away from me!" Gaara shouted, his eyes suddenly wide in fear.

He flinched at his own voice, and looked down at the gravestone, keeling down beside it he trailed a hand over the marble.

"I'm sorry mother, I didn't mean to raise my voice." He mumbled. Naruto's own eyes widened. Gaara's mother was dead? Were the rumours true then?

But if they were, why would Gaara go to his mother's gave? That didn't make any sense.

"Your mother? I'm so sorry." Naruto said numbly. "What…what happened to her?" Naruto asked hesitantly, fearing to be snapped at again.

"My mother died giving birth to me, if you must know. I don't like talking about it." Gaara half-snapped, half-sobbed.

"Oh, that's terrible. If it's any help, it happened to my mother too," Naruto said softly kneeling beside Gaara.

Gaara looked up at him, "And does your father blame you for that? Does he see you as a monster who took his wife's life?" he asked.

"I wouldn't know. I've never known my father. And if your father thinks that, than he's an idiot." Naruto responded.

Gaara finished rubbing his eyes and looked back at the gravestone. "So…you're like me…alone." He said lowly.

Naruto had the feeling he was talking more to himself than to him, so he didn't answer.

"Well I gotta go. Bye Gaara," Naruto remembered the package he had to pick up, and got up to leave.

He looked back at Gaara's huddled figure, then, sighing, he turned and continued on his way.

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

When he got home, Naruto took out his sketchpad and searched his memory of Gaara's faces.

Thanks to his artists' photographic memory, he was able to sketch Gaara crying, and Gaara fearful. Two new emotions he could add to his list.

Naruto sketched those two new faces from different angles, and then continued with the one he started in class.

The art assignment was due in a week, and what Naruto wanted, was to be able to paint Gaara – he ordered professional paint for this exact reason – smiling.

But how he could do that, was completely beyond him. Sighing, Naruto put down his finished works and got some dinner – miso ramen of course.

Before he went to bed the phone rang, it was Sasuke.

"Hello?" Naruto said into the receiver.

"Hey, it's me." Sasuke's voice filled his ear and Naruto felt a grin work its way up his face.

"Hey Sasuke, what's up?" Naruto said cheerfully.

"Can you come over? M'bored." Sasuke said.

"Uh…I dunno," Naruto said.

"Oh come on please? I've got marshmallows," Sasuke pleaded. Naruto's eyes shone.

"You had me at marshmallows, I'll be right down!" he cried. Sasuke laughed and hung up.

It took Naruto five minutes to run to Sasuke's house.

"Well look who it is, it's the Marshmallow Prince." Sasuke grinned when he opened the door.

"Give me the marshmallows you have imprisoned fiend, or suffer my gooey wrath!" Naruto said boldly, puffing out his chest. Sasuke let him in.

"If you can find your way through my traps Marshmallow Prince, you can have your citizens back, if not, feel my own wrath fall down upon you!" Sasuke cackled.

"I accept this challenge Prince of Darkness, for I shall find my citizens quickly, and come back for revenge for my first love that you have killed!" Naruto cried.

"The Ramen Princess got what she deserved, and so shall you my good Marshmallow Prince, for you shall never find the marshmallows!" Sasuke laughed.

"We shall see Prince of Darkness! We shall see!" and Naruto scurried into the kitchen, and found the marshmallows thanks to his stomach.

"Aha! Foiled once again Prince of Darkness, and now for my revenge on my beloved Ramen Princess!" Naruto said tackling Sasuke.

"Oh no, damn you Marshmallow Prince, you have not heard the last of me!" Sasuke made a very good death scene and lay on the floor as if dead.

Naruto chuckled and threw a marshmallow in his open mouth, causing Sasuke to choke and sit bolt upright.

When he could breath again he started laughing, and soon they were laughing so hard they forgot to eat the marshmallows, which lay abandoned in their packet.

"Thanks for this Sasuke, I needed a good laugh." Naruto smiled once he could breath.

"Yeah I figured you did, you were acting so strange at school."

Grabbing two marshmallows, Sasuke planted himself on Naruto's back so his face was on Naruto's shoulder.

He ate one marshmallow and fed the other to Naruto, patting his blonde hair soothingly.

He'd known Naruto since they were little kids, when his family were killed by his brother, Sasuke lived with Naruto for a while until he adjusted to an empty house.

When Naruto was upset he used to crawl into bed with him to calm him down, now he did this and it was enough to calm the blonde down.

They were like brothers.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked.

Naruto thought about it. He did want to talk about it, but what would Sasuke think if he did? Sasuke saw his hesitation and tried again.

"We tell each other everything, come on you can trust me, you know that." He said winding his arms under Naruto and resting his head against his blonde hair.

"I know that but…" Naruto sighed.

"C'mon, whose your bestest friend in the whole wide world? And who loves you no matter what?" Sasuke cooed.

Naruto sighed through his nose. "You are." He answered.

"Exactly. And whose my bestest friend in the whole wide world? And who loves me no matter what?" Sasuke continued.

Naruto started to grin. "I am." He answered.

"Exactly. So tell your bestest buddy what's wrong," Sasuke said. Naruto could just hear the smug smirk in his voice without even looking.

"It's…about…Gaara." Naruto said finally.

Sasuke gasped dramatically and rolled off Naruto, giving him a fake hurt look.

"Oh Naru how could you? You told me I was the only one!" he sobbed like a girl.

Naruto rolled his eyes and played along. "I know my darling but I had to tell you, there's someone else."

"Oh I feel so used, so cheap! I can't believe you'd run off with some other woman!" Sasuke wailed.

"You do know I'm gay right?" Naruto grinned. Sasuke screamed, very authentically.

"You're gay! Oh my goodness, my world has ended! I must now throw myself off the balcony, rather than live in the shame that is humiliation!"

"No my darling do not kill yourself, you can move on and start again!"

"No I must, goodbye my one true love, I shall see you in another life!" Sasuke ended with the back of his hand on his forehead, like he'd fainted. Naruto laughed.

"Seriously though, you do know that I'm gay?" Naruto said getting serious again. Sasuke smiled.

"Well duh. I've known you my whole life Naru; of course I knew you were gay! You know I'm gay too, I swear I got it from Itachi but there it is. Now what were you saying?" Sasuke said playing with a lock of Naruto's hair.

"Ack, get off me perv, this can be classed as molesting!" Naruto cried flicking off Sasuke's hand. Sasuke chuckled.

"You love it. So what about Gaara? You into him or somethin?" Sasuke said getting serious.

"Well…hai. I have been ever since he came to school." Naruto admitted. Sasuke nodded like this was old news.

"I thought so. I mean, you draw everyone you meet at least once, but I thought something was going on when all your art projects were him." Sasuke said.

"And you too," Naruto protested. "Yeah but not as often as Gaara. Tell the truth though, you still love me yeah?" Sasuke asked giving him puppy dog eyes.

Naruto laughed. "'Course I do, can you still love someone whose heart belongs to another?" he joked.

"Of course my little Naru-chan. Besides, I'll always have a place in your heart, just for me…right?" for once Sasuke looked uncertain.

"Duh, you're my best friend! Just as long as you save a piece of your heart for me too." Naruto grinned.

"Well that's a promise I can keep. So, about Gaara…you sure about him? He's seems kinda…" he searched for the right word, "standoffish."

Naruto laughed with grim humour, "That's putting it mildly." He muttered. "But he's just…I dunno…different, ya know? There's something about him…I don't even know." Naruto blushed.

"Hey, if you fell in love with him he's gotta be something special but, I swear, if he ever hurts my little brother, and I don't care how much the guy terrifies the shit outta me, I will murder him in his sleep." Sasuke said.

Naruto hugged Sasuke. "Thanks Sasuke. And I'm only younger than you by four months," He said into his hair.

"I'm still older. Now get down on your knees and worship your older brother," Sasuke smirked.

"Egotistical much?" Naruto grinned.

"It's late, you should get home. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Sasuke hugged him once more before Naruto waved goodbye and went home.

"If that guy has any brains, he will worship Naruto. And if he tries to hurt my little brother I will kill him," Sasuke murmured to himself.

Naruto and him were like family, and no one hurt his family, especially after what had happen to their own familles.

And if they did, they would pay.

That was a promise.

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Naruto couldn't sleep from thinking of Gaara that night, and so when he woke up and saw he was ten minutes late for school, he panicked.

Throwing on a blue T-shirt and his sleeveless orange jacket, he put on jeans and sneakers, adjusted the quartz crystal on his necklace, and ran to school.

He took his skateboard to be faster, with his bag slung over one arm and his sketchpad under his other he skated through the back alleys to school.

He threw the doors open to find he was thirty minutes late.

"Mr. Uzumaki, will you kindly get to school on time for once? One would think you enjoy detention." Kakashi-sensei said lazily.

Several students giggled. "He only does it to make an entrance, stupid git!" Kiba shouted, making his friends laugh.

Naruto blushed beet red when he saw Gaara looking at him intently.

"Oi! Insult him once more and I'll make sure you never use that smartass mouth of yours again asshole!" Sasuke growled angrily. That shut Kiba up.

No one in their right mind would pick a fight with Sasuke Uchiha. Especially if it was over Naruto. He'd always been protective with Naruto, everyone knew that.

Naruto sat down sheepishly and was granted an encouraging smile from Sasuke.

"They're jealous." He said lowly. "Of what?" Naruto asked sceptically.

"Of the fact that you're my number one. You know Kiba's been trying to get cool by befriending me. He can't stand the fact that you're cooler than him."

It was meant to be encouraging, but to Naruto it sounded like he was only something because he knew Sasuke.

Sasuke must've realised this for he clamped a hand over his mouth. "Oh. I'm sorry." He said looking down, looking apologetic.

"S'okay, I know what you were trying to say. S'not like I care what he thinks anyways," Naruto said waving his hand dismissively.

After that the lesson went by uneventfully. When the lunch bell rang (Naruto was so late he missed first class) Naruto took his time packing up.

When he stood, a voice behind him nearly made him faint. "You're bleeding." Naruto turned to see Gaara staring down at his leg.

**(Not in a perverted way people! Sheesh. To those who thought of that in a wrong way, get your minds out of the gutter!)**

Naruto followed his gaze and found that he was indeed bleeding. "Must've hit something when I came to school." He muttered.

"I'll take you to the nurse," Gaara said. Naruto looked back up, had he heard that right? "You'll uh…what?" he stuttered.

"Do you wish to keep bleeding everywhere?" Gaara asked raising an invisible eyebrow.

Naruto shook his head, and unable to argue with the red head, he followed him, throwing Sasuke a slightly panicked look as he did so.

They walked in silence, Naruto limping slightly. He hadn't noticed the pain until Gaara pointed out the fact that he was bleeding. Damn Gaara.

Suddenly Gaara's eyes shifted to him and his head moved an inch to face him. "I make you uncomfortable." He stated.

"Huh? Oh, no Gaara you just, kinda…uh…" Naruto trailed off blushing.

"Freak you out?" Gaara supplied.

"Uh, no, not that. More like…nervous." Naruto said.

"Nervous." The question sounded more like a statement, and Naruto didn't know whether to answer or not. He decided not to.

Gaara turned back to the front and Naruto felt a little less uneasy. They got to the nurse's office after what seemed like years.

"Hey baa-chan!" Naruto grinned as they entered.

"Brat! Don't call me old!" Nurse Tsunade glared, Naruto paled slightly.

"Naruto has injured himself miss, he's bleeding." Gaara said out of the blue.

Two things stunned Naruto – one: Gaara had called him by his first name. Two: he was really polite to _other _people.

And did he already mention that Gaara _never spoke? _

"Ah yes, let's see here, you've done quite a bit of damage to that leg Naruto, what did you do?" Tsunade asked.

"I have no idea baa-chan. I think I hit it on the way to school or something, I was in a hurry." Naruto muttered.

"Well, roll up your jeans and I'll put a bandage on it after I've cleaned it up." Tsunade said.

Naruto obeyed and sat down while Tsunade cleaned his wound. He winced every time it stung.

He was surprised that Gaara waited for him, like they'd been friends for years or something.

Surprised yes, but not bothered by it. Quite pleased actually. Though confused. Very confused. Forgetting his random inner conflict of feelings, he sighed.

He had already resigned himself for always looking like an idiot around Gaara, so being injured without even knowing wasn't really that bad.

At least it got Gaara's attention. That was worth a wound. And yes, you're right, Naruto quite possibly **is **insane.

When he was done he rolled his jeans back down, and walked out with Gaara. "Thanks baa-chan!" Naruto called.

"Shut up brat!" Tsunade screamed. Naruto laughed.

After a long pause Gaara said. "Should you really call her old like that?"

Naruto grinned. "I don't really mean it, it's a joke with us, like when she calls me brat. That's my godmother anyways, my godfather's an author who travels a lot."

He mentally hit himself for saying that. _Gaara doesn't care about your personal life you idiot! Why don't you shut up!_

"Do you see him very often?" Gaara asked. Naruto's eyes widened in shock, it was a few seconds before he could answer.

"Uh, no not really. He comes by to celebrate a new book being finished but other than that I don't see him. And of course baa-chan lives all the way across town so I only see her when I'm injured, which is like, a lot of the time." He finished lamely.

Gaara tilted his head to one side, "Yes I did notice that. You have a knack for getting hurt," he said.

His voice held a smile, unfortunately his face didn't. Damn it!

"Hehehe! Yeah I'm pretty clumsy." Naruto said scratching the back of his neck nervously.

He saw Sasuke looking at them weirdly and was torn between sitting with him and continuing his conversation with Gaara.

"Um, d'you wanna sit with us? I noticed you sit by yourself all the time," Naruto asked.

"Oh, no. I'm fine, I don't mind sitting by myself." Gaara said emotionlessly, looking out the doors.

"Oh okay. Well, if you ever want to sit with us, don't hesitate kay? Bye Gaara." Naruto went off to sit with Sasuke.

_What was I saying? As if Gaara would ever want to sit with a douche like me!_

"Hey, you okay Naruto? Your face is red." Sasuke said as he sat down.

"Huh? Oh, yeah I'm fine." Naruto said. Sasuke sighed.

"You so distracted lately Naru, is it that Gaara kid again?" he said.

Naruto nodded solemnly, realising he hadn't packed any lunch in his rush to get to school. His stomach rumbled in response to that realisation.

"Shut up stomach who asked ya?" Naruto said angrily. Sasuke laughed.

"Here, I packed two lunches coz I figured you'd forget yours." Sasuke grinned giving Naruto his food.

"Sasuke I love you! What would I do without you?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Crash and burn," Sasuke grinned.

He sighed when he saw Naruto's eyes travel back to the red head, who was siting under a tree, not eating, just glaring at the ground with his arms folded.

He wondered why Naruto liked him so much. He seemed perfectly dangerous to Sasuke.

"Hmm…I'm gonna go sketch, wanna come?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded and they got up, they went outside and sat on a sunny patch of grass a little ways down from the red head, Naruto pulled out his sketchpad, Sasuke his ipod.

"Lie back, I wanna sketch you." Naruto said. Sasuke raised an eyebrow but did as he was told, closing his eyes and folded his arms behind his head as he did so.

"Why do you wanna draw me when you've got that red head?" Sasuke mumbled, a little hurtfully.

"Ssh! He could hear you! And anyways, I always sketch you." Naruto said.

"Not lately, not like when you first got into sketching, you were always asking me to pose for you. I miss that," Sasuke muttered opening his eyes to stare at the sky.

Naruto ducked his head guiltily. "Yeah, that's sorta why I'm doing this. Besides, I've got a little too much red in my book; I'd like a little blue."

Sasuke grinned at this.

"And also, you have a great face. You could be a model, you have the potential, take it from an artist." Naruto added.

He didn't notice the embarrassed blush the came and went on Sasuke's face. "Shut up," he said.

"No seriously you have beautiful features, trust me it's a honour to sketch you dear sir. I like your eyes best myself, but Ino insists your hair is best."

Sasuke grinned. "Yeah she would, she's so obsessed with her own hair. And anyway my eyes don't even have colour, they're retarded." He said.

"No they're not, they're gorgeous, believe me they're beautiful. Hey remember when we were little and we used to have staring contests?" Naruto said changing subject.

Sasuke, fighting down a bark of laughter, nodded slightly. "I kept winning coz you kept cracking up." He said.

"Hehe, yeah they were good times. I wish I had your ability to look cool in whatever you do. Like, even when you threaten people you look cool, I just look pathetic." Naruto said sketching rapidly.

Both were unaware of two sea-foam eyes trained on them, every word they uttered being overheard.

"No you don't, you just lack the Uchiha grace. Uchiha's do everything right it's a fact." Sasuke said.

"Yeah, yeah I know I know, dead annoying really, now stop talking you're making it impossible for me to draw your face." Naruto said.

Sasuke stayed quiet until Naruto finished, plopping down next to him to stare at the sky. "Whadda think?" he asked holding up his work.

Of course it was perfect, Naruto's sketches always were. Every detail was captured, even the light freckles on Sasuke's nose that no one else would ever see.

"Perfect, as usual." Sasuke answered. Naruto blushed, "You always say that," he said.

"That's coz it's true. Come on Naruto your sketches are brilliant and you know it. You know Deidara-sensei talks about your talent all the time in class." Sasuke said.

"Only coz he knows me through you." Naruto insisted. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He muttered.

The bell rang and the pair reluctantly dragged themselves to history. At least the one good thing about being late is the day goes quickly.

The bad thing is you get after school detention.

"I'd wait for you but…Sasori is gonna be in town tonight and I haven't seen him in weeks so…" Sasuke started.

"S'okay, your guardian's more important, I'll call you when I get home." Naruto said going off to detention.

"Okay." Sasuke said and headed home.

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Naruto groaned loudly once he was allowed to go home, an hour and a half of detention with Ino was enough to ruin anyone's day, their whole year even.

After going to his locker and grabbing his stuff, he wandered down the hall towards the exit. All of a sudden he heard sweet music coming from the drama room.

_Who would still be here this late after school?_ Naruto wondered. The sound was coming from a violin, and it had to be the single most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

Well, apart from Gaara's voice, that voice sent shivers up his spine. He poked his head through the door to the classroom and had to contain a gasp.

There Gaara stood in front of a music stand, flipping the page, creating a pause in the beautiful music.

He began to play again, closing his eyes and losing himself in the melody. Naruto could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile on Gaara's face while he played.

Or at least a look of contentment

Gaara looked peaceful, more so than Naruto had ever seen him. He realised he was staring but couldn't tear his eyes from the red haired angel in front of him.

Naruto fumbled for his sketchpad, but before he could get it out, Gaara's eyes snapped open and he turned to look at him.

Crouched by the door as he was, Naruto wondered fearfully what conclusions Gaara would come up with.

"Were you spying on me Uzumaki?" he demanded coldly. Naruto flinched at the tone. He shook his head.

"No I was… I kinda, well now that you mention it…yeah I probably was spying…but would that be what I was doing? What _was_ I doing? Uh…"

He trailed off as he realised how ridiculous he must've sounded. He looked up at Gaara, who sighed as if exhausted. "You talk too much." He said quietly.

He hooked the violin under his chin once again and raised to bow to play. "If you're going to watch me you might as well get off the ground and come in," he said.

Naruto gulped and hurried to do what Gaara said. He took a seat by the piano, which was close enough to Gaara for him to be able to draw him, and waited.

Gaara took a deep breath, as if reluctant to continue knowing someone was watching him. "Stage fright?" Naruto asked softly with a smile.

The red head looked at him, and nodded. "It's not everyday someone takes an interest in my music. I've never preformed in front of anyone before." He admitted.

"You're really good, you shouldn't be worried about that. Um, Gaara, do you mind if I uh…draw you while you do that?" Naruto asked blushing furiously.

"What?" Gaara's eyes widened to the size of quarters at Naruto's request. "Why would you want to draw someone like me?" he mumbled look away.

"Well, the thing is, now don't freak out or anything, and you can hate me for this I know I wouldn't blame you it is pretty creepy I suppose considering we don't really know each other but –"

"Naruto."

He broke off his babbling at Gaara's voice, he looked up and gasped at how close Gaara's face was.

His own face grew hot as those piercing green eyes stared down into his own blue ones. "You talk too much." Gaara whispered.

Gaara's breath whisked over Naruto's skin and he shivered, fighting the urge to lean in and kiss the red head he stared into Gaara's eyes like they were his lifelines.

"Sorry. I do that when I'm nervous." Naruto said quietly.

"So I do make you nervous," Gaara leaned back, allowing Naruto to start breathing again (even though he couldn't even remember when he stopped breathing)

"A little." Naruto admitted, face still as hot as an oven.

"Is it because you are afraid of me?" Gaara asked casually, beginning to play quietly as he waited for Naruto's answer.

"No. Why would I be?" Naruto answered as he got out his sketchbook. Gaara didn't protest so Naruto took that as a sign he was allowed to draw him.

As he began the rough sketch Gaara switched tunes. This new one was unfamiliar and soft, reminding Naruto of angels for some reason.

"You must have heard the rumours, kind of hard not to in this school I've noticed." Gaara murmured as his eyes remained fixed on the music sheets in front of him.

Naruto noticed his eyes weren't moving. So he wasn't playing the music from the sheets, but he must've known the song off by heart to do that without music.

Perhaps it was an original?

"Well yeah but like I've always said, never judge someone before you get to know them. The rumours could have been true for all I knew, but it didn't really matter to me." Naruto replied.

"Would it matter if they were?" Gaara asked.

Naruto's blood froze. What was Gaara saying? He looked up to see Gaara's eyes boring into his own, never breaking the tune he was playing.

"No. It wouldn't matter to me," he said after a while. Gaara seemed taken aback, this was obviously not the answer he was expecting.

"I see." Was all he said before returning his eyes back to the music sheets.

Soon, Naruto was finished adding colour to his drawing and Gaara's sweet music stopped when he put his book down.

"May I see that?" he asked packing away his violin.

"Uhm…sure, no problem." Naruto said flicking to the page he was drawing on, hoping Gaara wouldn't notice all the other drawings of him.

He did.

"Are they…they're all of me…?" Gaara murmured as he pried the book from Naruto's grip, flipping through the pages slowly, analysing every drawing.

"Uh, yeah, that book is. I've got a lot more at home, some of them are full of Sasuke, others are of nature and stuff like that, but…"

He trailed off, turning instantly shy.

"But…?" Gaara encouraged. Naruto ducked his head. "But I have more of you. I think about three books worth now," he admitted.

His voice was muffled because he had his face buried into his hands but Gaara still heard it nonetheless.

"…" Gaara flipped another page, the drawing of him crying, and then the picture of him scared.

"You have good memory." He muttered. "…That's a nice one. I think I've found my favourite."

Naruto looked up to see Gaara looking at the picture of him playing the violin.

Naruto smiled, "Yeah I like that one too." He said. Gaara handed him back his sketchpad.

"Why do you draw me so much?" he asked. He sounded nothing but curious. Innocently curious, a tone that made Naruto want to smile.

"Well, I've kinda…mphghugh…ever since you came," he mumbled.

"I didn't hear that." Gaara said.

"I said I've kinda…mphghugh…since you came," Naruto repeated closing his eyes.

"Still didn't hear you," Gaara said impatiently.

"Argh, damn it all! Alright, alright, I love you!" Naruto said loudly opening his eyes to look at Gaara's shocked expression.

"Ever since you came here I've loved you, I've wanted to approach you for the longest time but I didn't know how and I was scared you'd push me away,"

"You…no…" Gaara looked away, "You wouldn't think that if you knew me. If you really knew me."

"What do you mean? Of course I would, it doesn't matter to me whatever you may have done before or who you really are, I'd always love you no matter what!"

"You won't say that when you find out. Don't make promises before you hear the truth that's all I ask." Gaara said.

He sounded so terrible, Naruto shut up and listened.

"I killed my mother at birth, I took her life to secure mine, I was a murderer before I even entered this world. When I was seven, I killed my uncle, and three other nameless people when I was thirteen. I'm a killer, unworthy of love or respect, and it should stay that way. I'm a cold-hearted monster, I do not know how to love, and someone like me could never love you back, so you shouldn't waste your time on me…" Gaara came to a shuddering stop before he realised he was crying.

So he was surprised therefore, when he felt Naruto pull his body into his arms. Gaara stiffened, unaccustomed to human contact, then slowly relaxed.

"How can you stay there, knowing what I've done?" Gaara asked desperately.

He was afraid. Afraid he would hurt Naruto, afraid of why he even cared, afraid that Naruto could hurt him should he choose, afraid of what he was feeling.

Was this love?

"I told you. It doesn't matter to me, I still love you, and I promise you I won't ever hurt you, or leave you, I'll stay by your side all the time, no matter what. I will protect you Gaara, I will never stop loving you." Naruto said into Gaara's neck.

Gaara shuddered as Naruto's breath ran across his exposed skin.

"I don't believe you would kill those people for no reason, you're just trying to make it sound like you would, you must have had a reason." Naruto said letting go of Gaara.

"…You're right about that. My uncle had tried to kill me, and being seven I didn't really understand what was going on, before I knew it he was dead on the ground and I was holding the very gun he'd tried to kill me with. And the three other men were trying to rape my sister, by then I knew how to use a knife with gruesome accuracy, I killed them in their sleep." Gaara said looking at his shaky hands.

"I knew you were a good person. You were just protecting yourself, and your sister. See? You're not as bas as you think," Naruto said smiling.

Gaara looked up, "You think so?" He asked, not believing what he was hearing. "I know so. Now we'd better get going, I'll walk you home." Naruto said.

They got up and walked home together, Naruto talking about his life since Gaara had already talked about his.

Gaara told Naruto that his father didn't like him and how Kankuro and Temari hated and feared him for killing their uncle.

Naruto told Gaara how everyone in Konoha hated him for no apparent reason, and how he was beaten a lot before Sasuke had befriended him.

"This is my house," Gaara said stopping at a small white house on the corner, it was very near Naruto's, in fact his apartment could be seen from the street.

"Hey this is near my place! See that apartment block over there? I live on the second floor. No one lives on the third floor and the people who live downstairs are always away so I have the place to myself. Come and see me sometime yeah? You're welcome anytime of day or night, if you need me just come knocking." Naruto said cheerfully.

Gaara nodded. "I will." He promised.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow. Oh, and Gaara?" Naruto asked.

"Yes?" Gaara said looking back.

"Can we go somewhere tomorrow afternoon? I'd like to sketch you for that art project and I have just the place to do it," Naruto said.

"…Of course. I'll meet you at the gates." Gaara said, his lip twitched upwards slightly as he walked into his house, watching Naruto walk to his home.

Why not give this love a chance? He might even like it, he certainly liked Naruto.

'Do I…love him? Is that what this feeling is? I…. like it,' Gaara thought to himself going into his home.

The lights were suddenly flicked on, and Gaara turned in horror to see his father standing behind him.

"And who…was that Gaara?" he asked menacingly.

"Uh…no one sir, just a kid from school," Gaara replied.

"Just a kid? Looked like you pretty chummy to me, you haven't been telling him tales about me have you?"

"N-no sir, I swear, he doesn't even know my name he just ran into me and followed me, I tried to ward him off but he kept following me." Gaara stuttered.

"I see. Do I need to deal with him then?"

"No sir I can handle him,"

"Hmm. We'll see, and I don't want you telling anyone about our little, misunderstandings you hear me? And don't make any friends,"

Gaara's gaze hardened, then he quickly corrected his mistake, but it was too late.

"Are you sassing me boy?" his father demanded.

"No father I swear –"

But he was cut off with a backhand. "Do not call me that!"

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to!"

But his pleas fell on deaf ears, and two hours later, Gaara was battered, bruised, and bloody.

It was well into the night when Gaara packed a bag and jumped onto the roof. He thought about going to Naruto for help, he said he was welcome anytime.

Should he get Naruto involved in this? He really didn't want to see the blonde hurt, but surely if no one knew about it then…

Without thinking about it further Gaara rushed to Naruto's apartment. He knocked on the door and prayed the blonde would be awake.

The door opened and a fuzzy-eyed Naruto appeared.

"Can I please stay here tonight?" Gaara asked.

"Gaara? Of course you can, come in, what happened to you?" Naruto said taking in Gaara's appearance.

He took Gaara into the kitchen and made him some coffee to calm him down.

"You okay?" he asked. Gaara sipped at his caffeine and nodded, he actually felt a lot better now that Naruto was with him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"My…father saw you walking with me and…he didn't like it," Gaara admitted. 

Naruto's gaze hardened. "So this guy does to you often? Is that why you come to school with blood on you all the time?" he asked.

Gaara sighed and put down his coffee, he nodded.

Naruto's anger flashed through his eyes and for a moment even Gaara was scared, then told himself not to be ridiculous and calmed down.

"Why don't you go to the police about that?"

"I've tried. No one will believe me, my father has told the local authorities that I have mental problems, so they think it's all in my head. I tried showing them the bruises but they believed I'd just fallen down. Besides, even if someone did believe and put him away, he'd be after as soon as he got out, maybe even mu siblings too." Gaara said.

"…Do you have mental problems? I wouldn't think they'd believe that without checking," Naruto asked.

Gaara looked down. "I take anti-depressants and tablets for stress. It leaves me with no appetite and insomnia but it works fairly well."

"And this of course was caused by your father?"

Gaara sighed. That was a yes to Naruto.

Naruto got up and placed his hands on Gaara's shoulders, forcing him to look into his blue eyes directly.

"Gaara, I'm gonna get you away from that, but you gotta trust me." Naruto said seriously.

Gaara swallowed. He didn't like the look in Naruto's eyes.

**To be continued…**


	2. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**yeah i know it's not an update soz guys :`( **

**i just uploaded this to tell you that my fics are on hold until i get back from toronto in the next couple of weeks.**

**i'll be back by the 1st of Jan so i'll probably upload then.**

**until then don't forget about me guys i love youse all! **

**zammie4eva heartbrokenly out - for now. but i will be back with avengence! hahahaha XD**

**see you in a couple of weeks yeah? and don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Merry Christmas everyone! I'm doing a Christmas KankuroKiba fic called 'I Found A Puppet' so look out for that one! Also, someone pointed out I didn't explain why Gaara's mother was buried in Konoha. Well, the reason is this: Gaara was born in Konoha, but after his mother died his father moved them to Suna, where he became mayor. He ran the town into the ground and they kicked him out, forcing him to move back to Konoha. So that's why.**

Previously…

_It was well into the night when Gaara packed a bag and jumped onto the roof. He thought about going to Naruto for help, he said he was welcome anytime._

_Should he get Naruto involved in this? He really didn't want to see the blonde hurt, but surely if no one knew about it then…_

_Without thinking about it further Gaara rushed to Naruto's apartment. He knocked on the door and prayed the blonde would be awake._

_The door opened and a fuzzy-eyed Naruto appeared. _

"_Can I please stay here tonight?" Gaara asked._

"_Gaara? Of course you can, come in, what happened to you?" Naruto said taking in Gaara's appearance. _

_He took Gaara into the kitchen and made him some coffee to calm him down._

"_You okay?" he asked. Gaara sipped at his caffeine and nodded, he actually felt a lot better now that Naruto was with him._

"_What happened?" he asked._

"_My…father saw you walking with me and…he didn't like it," Gaara admitted. _

_Naruto's gaze hardened. "So this guy does to you often? Is that why you come to school with blood on you all the time?" he asked._

_Gaara sighed and put down his coffee, he nodded. _

_Naruto's anger flashed through his eyes and for a moment even Gaara was scared, then told himself not to be ridiculous and calmed down._

"_Why don't you go to the police about that?" _

"_I've tried. No one will believe me; my father has told the local authorities that I have mental problems, so they think it's all in my head. I tried showing them the bruises but they believed I'd just fallen down. Besides, even if someone did believe and put him away, he'd be after as soon as he got out, maybe even mu siblings too." Gaara said. _

"…_Do you have mental problems? I wouldn't think they'd believe that without checking," Naruto asked._

_Gaara looked down. "I take anti-depressants and tablets for stress. It leaves me with no appetite and insomnia but it works fairly well."_

"_And this of course was caused by your father?" _

_Gaara sighed. That was a yes to Naruto._

_Naruto got up and placed his hands on Gaara's shoulders, forcing him to look into his blue eyes directly. _

"_Gaara, I'm gonna get you away from that, but you gotta trust me." Naruto said seriously._

_Gaara swallowed. He didn't like the look in Naruto's eyes._

_**To be continued…**_

Gaara remembered waking up to feel Naruto's blonde spikes tickling his chin. The blonde teen was asleep on his shoulder, curled up like a cat.

He vaguely remembered Naruto coaxing Gaara into watching a movie with him before bed, it seems they had both fallen asleep before the movie had ended.

Unused to such physical contact, he squirmed away from Naruto, the boy falling onto the sofa with a thud.

The fall caused him to wake. Blinking his eatery blue eyes, he stared up at the redhead as though confused.

Then he sat up quickly. "What happened?" he asked.

"You fell asleep on me. Kindly don't do it again please," Gaara said in his normal monotone.

The blonde winced at the icy tone of the other teen. "Sorry." He said.

Gaara sighed, now realising his words had hurt his – what should he call him now? Boyfriend?

They weren't really _dating, _Naruto had simply confessed his love to him, and Gaara had decided to give it at chance. So no, not boyfriend.

Friend? They were sort of more than that, but it seemed appropriate for the time being.

So, seeing he had hurt his friend he attentively reached out and placed his hand on the blonde's. Naruto looked up, surprised that Gaara has initiated contact.

"Forgive me Naruto I…I'm not used to this kind of thing. Give me some time okay?" Gaara said in what he hoped was a softer tone.

"Oh that's okay Gaara! We'll just take it one step at a time 'kay? You tell me if you feel like I'm pushing you or anything, or if you feel uncomfortable," Naruto said brightly.

Gaara nodded.

"Gaara?"

"Yes?"

"Could I hug you, if you don't mind?" Naruto asked, true to his word.

Slowly, Gaara nodded, and even more slowly, he settled in Naruto's arms.

As Gaara's eyes slipped closed, Naruto's fingers began running through his dark red spikes, strangely soothing the boy.

He sighed contently. He decided he liked this feeling.

The feeling the Naruto gave him, the one that felt like a fire in his stomach, then slowly spread around his body to tingle his fingertips and skin, and speed up his heart.

"I'm serious about taking it slow Gaara, if you ever need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask me, I'm here for you, know that." Naruto said lowly.

Gaara remembered Yashamaru had said something like that to him once and wondered if Naruto was trying to lure him into a trap.

If he is, I need to get out quick before I get hurt!

_But what if he isn't? It would hurt him if I just left and he hadn't been doing anything wrong._

_I can't just go along with it on 'what ifs' what if I'm wrong and I get my heart broken again? I can't risk that I've come too far for that now!_

_Best just to play it safe, and don't get too attached, just in case he is planning something._

"I'm not accustomed for asking things of people. At home I simply get beat for doing something so selfish," Gaara said to satisfy the blonde.

"What? That's ridiculous! You should be allowed to ask for things, you're a teenager!" Naruto cried.

Gaara frowned and pulled back. "So are you, you're making me feel young, and I'm older than you," he said playfully.

Wait, playfully? What happened to playing it safe? Stop getting attached stupid!

"Only by a few months. And besides, I act way younger than sixteen so don't worry about it. Sometimes I'll say smart stuff like that, other times…not so much."

Naruto shrugged and got up, stretching out his muscles.

"Anyway, I'm hungry, you want some food?" Naruto asked.

"No. But some coffee if you have it," Gaara said.

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Ew, you drink coffee? Blech, I hate the stuff. Funnily enough I DO have some, no idea why though," he said thoughtfully.

So Naruto wandered into his little kitchen to make some ramen for himself and coffee for Gaara, leaving said teen to his conflicted thoughts.

_This is so confusing. It feels…good to be with Naruto, and yet…bad at the same time. What the hell? Why can't I decide the way I feel?_

Naruto came back into the room at that point and gave Gaara his coffee. Gaara nodded in thanks and sipped the caffeine in silence.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

After a little while, Naruto finished his ramen and looked out the window, rays of sunlight streaming through gaps in the curtains.

"So…have you decided?" he asked seriously.

The sudden seriousness in the blonde's tone caused Gaara to startle a little, though you couldn't tell through his composed face.

"…No…" he half-whispered.

"You don't have to answer right away," Naruto said looking back at Gaara, not wanting to pressure the redhead. "I'm here for you remember; I won't force you into anything. You know that,"

Gaara nodded. He did know that. But what the blonde was suggesting…he thought back to the events of last night…

_~Flashback~_

"_Gaara, I'm gonna get you away from that, but you gotta trust me." Naruto said seriously._

_Gaara swallowed. He didn't like the look in Naruto's eyes._

_He nodded slowly. "O-Okay." He stammered nervously._

_Naruto looked him right in the eye. Teal met blue and after a while Gaara became dizzy. He seemed to be drowning in the blue depths of those eyes…he mentally shook himself. _

_No! Get a hold of yourself! He scolded himself._

"_Run." Naruto said. "Run away from that house, and stay with me. Live with me Gaara, I'll protect you from all that,"_

_Gaara was frozen to the spot. He did something so unlike him it was shocking to both teenagers. He said the first thing that came into his head, without thinking._

"_No, I can't involve you in this anymore than I already have! Don't you see this is dangerous? My father would kill you if he knew what you are to me! He wanted to hurt you just because you were talking to me, I cannot put you at more risk simply for my own happiness, you're more important to me than myself, I won't put you in such danger!"_

_Everything was silent after that. For several seconds. Several long, agonizing seconds._

_Naruto's eyes were wide in shock, Gaara was breathing heavily, and both didn't know quite what to say or do next._

"_What exactly am I to you though?" Naruto asked._

"…_I don't know."_

_They fell into silence once more._

_Finally Gaara spoke again. "I won't do this to you,"_

"_I don't believe you can stop me, I won't give up on you Gaara, I won't ever give up on you." Naruto said._

"_So you're saying I have no choice?" Gaara grew afraid._

"_No," Naruto shook his head. "Of course you have a choice, I won't ever force you to so something but, just think a little longer about this okay? That's all I ask,"_

_Gaara looked at him, wondering if he should allow himself one thing in life and say yes. But what about Temari or Kankuro, would his father punish them if he ran away?_

_And what about the risk it would put Naruto in? Could he really endanger the people in his life for his own comfort?_

"_Alright, I'll think about it." He said finally. _

_Naruto smiled. "Thanks Gaara," he said affectionately._

_~End flashback~_

"I still haven't come to a decision yet Naruto," Gaara said shaking his head. For some reason, he felt like he was letting the blonde down by this response. "I'm sorry."

"Nah that's okay Gaara. You seem to be the kind of person to think about things first unlike me, take your time I'm not going anywhere." Naruto replied.

Gaara sighed and sipped some more of his coffee. When he got home that day his father would beat him for leaving the night before, he wasn't looking forward to it.

Maybe…maybe he could stay with Naruto, and never have to worry about his father again.

Perhaps he could live happily ever after with this blonde angel sitting in front of him, maybe he could at last be happy…

Gaara shook himself out of his 'what if' thoughts.

The cold reality of the matter was that it wouldn't last, no matter what Naruto said.

Even if the blonde stayed with him to the end, his father would find out eventually, and end his happiness in some form or another.

Gaara was just not meant to be happy.

He knew this, had accepted it long ago, but now he had found someone to give him hope…the realisation made him extremely depressed.

But he wouldn't let it get to him; Naruto struck Gaara as the sort of person to get sad whenever the people around him were, and didn't want to make the blonde sad.

"We should get ready for school," Gaara said mechanically.

"Oh. Yeah, we should huh?" Naruto said snapping out of his own thoughts.

Naruto gave Gaara a set of clothes for the day, somehow seeing the redhead in his clothes made him feel lightheaded and giddy.

It gave him the feeling that Gaara was _his. _Even though Gaara hadn't really answered him on that note.

But hey, he could dream right?

Unbeknownst to the (very sexy, if a little skinny Naruto might add) redhead, Naruto watched him take his shirt off out the corner of his eyes.

He couldn't help it, so he was a pervert whatever, give him a break he was only sixteen.

Once the teen's shirt was off Naruto saw the flawless pale chest. Beautiful, just like the rest of the redhead. Naruto had to restrain himself from doing something stupid.

Made him slightly jealous, after all his own tan torso was riddled with bumps and scars from various places.

After he was finished gawking at his crush's chest, he averted his eyes and went into the bathroom to get himself ready, his face inflaming itself on habit.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

As soon as Naruto entered the bathroom, Gaara turned and smiled to himself.

He'd caught Naruto's eyes on him as he undressed, and normally he would be feeling insecure and somewhat violated, knowing he was being watched like that.

But for some reason, Gaara's smile widened when he recalled the look on Naruto's face as he watched him.

It felt…how would you describe the feeling? _Nice? _No that's not it…_pleasant? _No…

Either way, it made Gaara get a tingly feeling in his stomach knowing Naruto was looking at him like _that. _And wanted him like _that._

No one had ever…he shook his head. _Stop thinking and keep dressing._

He set his mind to the task at hand and drove the (seriously attractive Gaara couldn't help but notice) blonde from his mind…for now.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Naruto washed his face by the sink and stared at himself in the mirror. He hated what he saw there.

The almost black whisker-like scars on his cheeks had always been his worst feature, he couldn't stand them, they marked him as…_different._

He was always teased about them when he was young, that's why he hated them so much. He was just a freak with those whiskers.

Naruto scratched at his cheek viciously, as if attempting to rip the whiskers off, but only succeeded in creating a scar down his whiskers.

It would fade by the end of the day, so there was no need to worry.

Sighing, Naruto dressed in jeans and an orange T-shirt, grabbing his blue jacket from the door on the way out.

When he came out Gaara was sitting in his bedroom, on the edge of his bed, hands folded on his knees.

There was something to be said about the redhead in Naruto's blue and orange shirt and dark blue jeans. He looked almost…_delectable._

Naruto shook the partially obscene thought from his head and cleared his throat, getting the redhead's attention.

"We'd better get going, don't want to be late. You don't have your school things do you?" Naruto asked.

Gaara shook his head. "That's okay I have spare books and stuff, you can borrow from me for the day," Naruto said casually.

With that he grabbed his schoolbag and a satchel for Gaara, and left his apartment, Gaara followed wordlessly.

Before they got out the door, Gaara reached out and cupped Naruto's cheek. Gaara felt the heat rise on the blonde's face and wanted to smile.

He had never made someone feel like that before.

"Wh-what are you doing Gaara?" Naruto stammered.

"You're hurt." Gaara said lowly.

"Huh? Where?"

"Right here." Gaara's eyes travelled to the new scar on the tanned cheek in his hand.

"Oh. You noticed that huh? I did that,"

"Why?" Gaara's eyes widened a little at the thought that Naruto had hurt himself willingly.

"I don't really…like my whiskers…people think they look weird…" Naruto whispered tearfully.

Gaara's anger swelled at the people who caused this upset in the blonde angel.

He took a huge step in his own physical contact limits and kissed the scar running horizontally down Naruto's cheek.

"I like them," he said softly.

Gaara lowered his hand.

"We'll have to be careful, I don't want father to see me," he said..

"Hmmm…yeah good idea. We'll go down the back alleys, it'll take a little longer but that's okay. We've got plenty of time," Naruto agreed, still blushing..

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Naruto?" Gaara asked after they had gone two streets.

"Yeah?" Naruto said turning to him.

"…I'd like to do that again. Soon,"

Naruto blushed beet red as he realised Gaara's was talking about the kiss to his cheek earlier. He certainly wouldn't complain if Gaara wanted to do it again, that's for sure.

"Sure. Whenever you feel like it Gaara," Naruto replied.

Gaara smiled a little to himself as the school came into view.

"Naruto!"

The two turned at the sound of the shout, to see a very angry Uchiha.

"Sasuke, just great that's all I need right now," Naruto groaned.

He turned back to Gaara. "I'll meet you inside okay? I won't be long," he said.

Gaara nodded. "I'll see you later,"

Once Gaara had disappeared inside the school building, Naruto walked over to his best friend who had a nasty habit of glaring at the redhead whenever he saw him.

"What's he doing walking with you to school? Don't we usually walk to school together? I was waiting for ages until I realised you weren't coming," Sasuke said outraged.

"We walk to school together _sometimes, _Sasuke, and you always call me when we want to walk with me. And Gaara's had some problems at home and is staying with me for a while," Naruto explained calmly.

"He's staying with you? Naruto you know the rumours surrounding that guy, I mean seriously, if something happens to you it'll be my fault for letting that guy get to you, you're my little brother after all,"

"Sasuke for God's sake shut up! You don't know anything about Gaara, just stupid rumours! So shut up and mind your own business, I love him and you're not about to change that!" Naruto shouted.

This response rendered Sasuke speechless. He'd never seen Naruto this angry before, and yet here he was, glaring at Sasuke with cold, hateful fury. Realisation hit Sasuke.

He really loved Gaara.

Guilt pierced the ice heart of the young Uchiha and he looked at his feet. "Gomen…I just worry about you is all, you're family Naruto," he mumbled.

He looked up as Naruto's hand settled on his shoulder. "S'okay big brother, you have your reasons. And I know it'll take a while for to accept him, but lay off him a little okay?"

"…Hai. Gomen nasai Naruto," Sasuke muttered.

"It's okay. Let's go, we're gonna be late,"

As it turned out, they were about five minutes late for class, but no one jeered because of the presence of Sasuke.

Sasuke slid in next to Naruto, who sat at the front, wishing he could take the risk and sit with Gaara.

Half-way through the lesson (to which Naruto was paying no attention to anyway) Sasuke nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.

He gestured to Gaara with his head. "Go on, I know you want to. Quick, while Kakashi's distracted," he said.

Naruto shot Sasuke an appreciative smile before sneaking up to the back of the room where Gaara was seated.

Apparently the boy had fallen into a half-conscious state while pretending to listen to the lesson.

"Psst! Wake up sleepyhead," Naruto whispered in Gaara's ear.

Gaara snapped out of his trance and turned to the blonde, his face heating up as he did so.

"I thought you were sitting with Sasuke," he said.

Naruto shrugged. "Well now I'm sitting with you," he said casually swinging his feet up to rest on the desk.

Gaara continued to stare at Naruto in astonishment for a while, before looking back to the front. His eyes of course were drawn back to the blonde again and again, to which the blonde returned the glances.

In all his classes, Naruto sat next to Gaara. He mostly had a one-sided conversation with himself, but he didn't mind, he just liked spending time with the redhead.

Of course by lunch the whole year had found out that Naruto was friends with Gaara, and people were looking at them (but mostly him) with a mixture of disgust, fear and resentment.

Naruto ignored them. Gaara didn't.

As they made their way to the table Gaara always sat at outside, Naruto noticed his crush's shoulders droop.

"What's up Gaara?" he asked.

Gaara waved a hand in the general direction of the onlookers and looked up at Naruto. "I'm causing your trouble," he said flatly.

Despite the flat tone, Naruto could hear the sadness in his voice.

"Don't worry about it, like I care anyway. It's fine Gaara really," Naruto assured his insecure friend.

"But –"

Gaara never got to finish his sentence, because Naruto had planted is lips softly on his own.

Gaara's eyes widened in shock at what was happening, the two sides of his mind arguing about how he should respond.

_Quick, get the hell out of here right now!_

_Wait a minute, this feels nice, and Naruto's only doing it to reassure me he doesn't care about the people, this is a good sign._

_Good sign? He's practically forcing himself on me!_

_He loves me, that's what he said, this is what people do to the people they love, it's normal, I have to respond before I hurt him._

_Yeah I got a response, run like hell!_

But the positive side of him won out, and Gaara's eyes slid closed, and he pushed back into the kiss hesitantly.

Naruto's hand came shakily up to Gaara's cheek, not wanting to scare the redhead any further.

He pulled back to breath and rested his forehead against Gaara's, they were both breathing heavily, and Naruto's hand was still on Gaara's cheek.

"Sorry about that, but you were freaking out a little," Naruto apologised.

"…No…that's okay I…I liked it…thank you Naruto," Gaara smiled.

The smile was the sweetest thing Naruto had ever seen. So far he'd seen Gaara smirk and give small half-smiles, but never a smile as sweet as this.

He wanted to draw it right then and there, but he didn't want to ruin the moment.

Gaara's smile didn't fade as his mind played the kiss over and over in his mind. Soon Naruto was grinning widely too and the two stayed like that until the bell rang for class.

"We'd better get back," Naruto whispered, still not wanting to ruin the moment.

"I suppose you're right." Gaara replied, still smiling.

As they walked back to the school, Gaara managed to force the smile to a small smirk just as they got through the door.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

In science, Naruto sat next to Sasuke to appease the Uchiha.

Sasuke smiled at Naruto as he sat down. "Not sitting with Gaara?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head. "I'm trying to figure out how I can spend time with you while still spending time with Gaara. So I figured I'd sit next to you the last two classes today,"

Sasuke was in a lot better mood since Naruto decided to sit next to him, so he even tolerated Naruto's suggestion to hang out with both the redhead and the Uchiha the next day. He agreed to it.

It was obvious that nothing Sasuke could do or say would make Naruto stop loving Gaara, so it wouldn't hurt to _try _and understand the guy.

He'd give it a shot, for his little brother's sake. If Naruto had found someone that made him happy, Sasuke could deal with it, but only if he was still there for the blonde in case something happened.

They were family after all.

Naruto spent the rest of the school day laughing and joking with Sasuke instead of paying attention to the work.

They spent a while laughing about what Kakashi-sensei could possibly be doing to make him dreadfully late every day.

Or what made Iruka-sensei's dark-skinned face pale like sour milk then flush horribly when he looked under his desk.

They pondered what was really going on between Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei.

It certainly looked like the art teacher was pregnant, and everyone was pointing to Asuma.

Well, so Shikamaru said. And if Shikamaru said it, then (grudgingly) it was true. After all, Shikamaru was Asuma's favourite student, he was bound to know something.

Sasuke suggested that the school nurse, Shizune, had a crush on Naruto.

Naruto went red and stammered that it couldn't be true, causing Sasuke to laugh at his best friend's expression.

Eventually they ended up talking about the annual dance at the end of the year.

"Let me guess, you'll take Gaara," Sasuke said.

"If he'll let me. You're you gonna take?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke sighed heavily.

"No idea. Too many fangirls to choose from, I'm not really sure I will go." Sasuke said.

Naruto, remembering Sasuke telling him he was gay like Naruto, leaned forward.

"Any guys you'd like to take?" he whispered.

Sasuke's eyes travelled to a long-haired boy with whitish-purple eyes at the back. Naruto followed his gaze.

"Oh man not destiny boy," Naruto complained. Sasuke looked at his hands.

Naruto groaned. "I can't believe you like Neji, he's the only one to have ever challenged you…is that why?"

Sasuke nodded.

"But isn't he a jerk?" Naruto asked.

"Not really. I mean not after you fought him when he knocked me out from behind. I heard he's changed since then, besides…he's cute." Sasuke said.

Naruto looked up at Neji and frowned. "Nah, not really my type." He said.

Sasuke smacked him lightly on the arm. "Yeah, 'coz your type's red hair, green eyes with dark rings around them and a tattoo on his forehead, add to that a antisocial persona and you've got your type,"

"That is not a type, they're requirements." Naruto corrected. Sasuke chuckled.

The bell rang, signalling the end of school.

Naruto said goodbye to Sasuke and went to find Gaara. He found him at the gates waiting for him.

"Ready?" Naruto asked.

Gaara nodded. "Where are we going?" he asked.

Naruto grinned. "You'll see. Come on,"

Gaara followed right behind Naruto as he led him to wherever this 'special place' of his was.

The walk gave Gaara time to think about things that had been going through his mind lately.

_He kissed me before, and I kissed back...does that mean I love him?_

_No it does not! It just means that I liked him kissing me, that's all._

_Oh shut up! _

_You shut up!_

_You're the one who should shut up!_

_BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!_

Gaara started at the new voice in his head. He was supposed to be having an argument with himself, why were there three voices? Was he going mad?

_How about you just go with the flow, live life Gaara, and see where it takes you. Let go and just do things, don't think, just feel._

_Yes…yes you're right. I shall._

_No way don't do it!_

Gaara shut out of all the arguing voices and followed Naruto.

He wondered on the feeling that the blonde boy brought him, he didn't have to do anything extraordinary to bring Gaara that feeling.

Then he shook himself, remembering he was supposed to be not thinking and feeling instead.

He noticed that Naruto had stopped ahead of him. They had arrived.

Naruto had stopped at a fence, a meadow filled with all sorts of flowers lay ahead, and a huge oak tree right in the middle.

"Where are we?" Gaara asked catching up to Naruto.

Naruto didn't answer, just took Gaara's hand in his and led him into the meadow.

Gaara let himself be pulled along, looking down at the flowers to try and figure out what each one was.

Once they had reached the oak tree, Naruto stopped and dropped Gaara's hand.

Gaara, used to the warmth of Naruto's hand, gripped it again. Naruto looked back with a surprised expression. Then smiled and squeezed Gaara's hand.

"This is Old Man Oak. I used to come here as a kid, whenever I was feeling upset or lonely I'd come here and sit right at the top and talk to Old Man Oak, even though I knew he couldn't talk back," Naruto said.

"I guess it just felt good to talk to something that wouldn't judge me for my words. Trees are good listeners,"

Gaara nodded in understanding, then looked up the trunk of the huge oak tree. "Let me guess, you want me to climb that with you," he said.

"Spot on. You're not afraid of heights are you?"

Gaara shook his head. "Not of heights, just of falling to my death." He said flatly.

Naruto chuckled.

"Come on would I let you fall? Don't worry you'll be perfectly safe, and if you aren't at least I'll be there to break your fall," he joked.

Gaara did not appreciate Naruto's humour.

Naruto climbed up to the first branch, holding out a hand for Gaara.

So, following his 'don't think just feel' rule, Gaara reached for that hand and was pulled up to the branch.

Slowly, but surely, the two made their way to the top, Naruto murmuring advice and encouragement when Gaara got stuck.

Eventually they made it all the way to the top, Gaara looked down in amazement, you could see the whole town from there!

The sun was setting, the first stars showing through the dieing sunlight.

"Beautiful," Gaara whispered.

"It is isn't it?" Naruto took Gaara's hand and they watched the sunset together.

They didn't say anything, for they didn't need words to express themselves with each other.

As the sun dipped below the surface, Gaara closed his eyes and rested his head on Naruto's shoulder.

"I've decided…I want to stay with you," Gaara said.

"R-Really Gaara? You will?" Naruto looked down at him, smiling widely.

"Yes Naruto, I'll stay,"

He leaned away and Gaara smiled that sweet smile again.

"Ooh, hold it right there Gaara," Naruto took out his sketchbook, and began to sketch the rough draft of his art assignment.

Gaara did as he was told and stayed perfectly still, keeping the smile on his face.

It wasn't hard, just thinking about Naruto would keep it there indefinitely.

When the draft was done, Naruto away his sketchbook and leaned close to Gaara.

"Can I kiss you again Gaara?" he whispered.

After a moments' hesitation, Gaara said, "I did say I'd like to do it again didn't I?"

It was Gaara who closed the gap between them and pressed their lips together.

The kiss was short, but it meant the world to the two boys.

Picture that romantic music in the background of those cheesy romance movies, imagine fireworks behind the boys' eyelids and you've got the kiss of the century.

"I love you Gaara," Naruto whispered when they pulled away.

"…I love you too Naruto, I love you too," Gaara smiled.

Naruto's smile couldn't be happier as he kissed Gaara again. He'd said he loved him!

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Your stuff's still at your place isn't it?" Naruto asked as he took a bite of pizza.

"Yeah. I kinda left in a hurry, no big deal though, it's not as if…oh no,"

"What?"

"I left my medication at home," Gaara's eyes were wide with horror. If he didn't take that medication he got fierce mood swings, a constant migraine and violent behaviour.

Naruto bite into his pizza slowly, thoughtfully.

"Don't do it," Gaara snapped.

"Don't do what?" Naruto asked vaguely, still staring into space.

"Don't do what you're thinking of doing," Gaara said.

"And what's that?" Naruto questioned.

"Breaking into my house to get my things, Naruto it's far too dangerous you could be killed, my father's already seen your face there's no telling what he'd do to you if you were caught." Gaara said urgently.

"Well then I'd better not get caught then eh? I've had just about enough of this guy, you have a right to a life of your own, besides you need those meds yeah? So I gotta get 'em," Naruto said standing up.

"Naruto don't you dare go into that house! Please, for my sake if nothing else, don't go Naruto I'm begging you, don't go!"

Naruto, who had been walking to the door, stopped at Gaara's pleading. He was really worried for him. He turned back to see Gaara wiping his eyes. He died inside. He'd made Gaara cry.

"Gaara…" he whispered.

Gaara, taking the hint, ran to Naruto, who held him tightly in his arms.

"Promise me you won't go Naruto," Gaara said against his neck.

Naruto never went against his word when he promised something, there must be a way to please Gaara but still leave the promise void so he could go anyway without Gaara's knowledge.

Perhaps if he didn't say the words 'I promise'…

So he nodded instead. Gaara relaxed with an exhale and his grip loosened.

"Okay." He said, voice filled with exhaustion.

"Come on Gaara, sleep now, you don't mind sharing a bed with me do you? Or do you want me to take the couch?" Naruto asked.

Gaara let go of Naruto so he could see him properly.

"No, I don't mind." He said with a slight yawn. Naruto chuckled. "Okay then, bedtime for the runaway!" he sang.

Gaara smiled tiredly as he allowed Naruto to fuss over him, eventually he settled into bed, next to Naruto.

"I'm gonna work of my drawing for a little while okay Gaara?" Naruto asked.

"M'kay," Gaara said sleepily, eyes drifting closed already. At least the good thing about not taking his medication was he could sleep better.

The lamp stayed on so Naruto could draw, and soon Gaara fell asleep to the sound of the pencil scratching on the page in the warmth of Naruto's presence.

This was happiness. This was love.

This, was something Gaara would never give up, now he'd found it.

Father be damned, he was keeping Naruto for good.

He wasn't giving up.

Not now, not ever.

For Naruto.

To be continued…

**Yay number two's finished! I've no idea how many chapters I should do for this but we'll just see how it goes. I managed to find a library in Toronto, that's how I've uploaded this now. Next chapter: Naruto goes to the belly of the beast – the Sabaku house! What will Gaara do when he finds out Naruto's lied to him and gone behind his back to do exactly what Gaara didn't want him to do? Don't miss it!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry about the wait guys, my parents have split up and it's been pretty hectic lately, but whatever life fucks us up in the end anyway. Soz 'bout the language but yeah, thought it was necessary. So this might be the last chapter I dunno, we'll just see how it goes. Oh, and there's some mild swearing in this chapter later on, just to warn you.**

_Previously…_

"_I've decided…I want to stay with you," Gaara said._

"_R-Really Gaara? You will?" Naruto looked down at him, smiling widely. _

"_Yes Naruto, I'll stay," _

_He leaned away and Gaara smiled that sweet smile again._

"_Ooh, hold it right there Gaara," Naruto took out his sketchbook, and began to sketch the rough draft of his art assignment._

_Gaara did as he was told and stayed perfectly still, keeping the smile on his face._

_It wasn't hard, just thinking about Naruto would keep it there indefinitely. _

_When the draft was done, Naruto away his sketchbook and leaned close to Gaara._

"_Can I kiss you again Gaara?" he whispered._

_After a moments' hesitation, Gaara said, "I did say I'd like to do it again didn't I?"_

_It was Gaara who closed the gap between them and pressed their lips together. _

_The kiss was short, but it meant the world to the two boys._

_Picture that romantic music in the background of those cheesy romance movies, imagine fireworks behind the boys' eyelids and you've got the kiss of the century._

"_I love you Gaara," Naruto whispered when they pulled away._

"…_I love you too Naruto, I love you too," Gaara smiled._

_Naruto's smile couldn't be happier as he kissed Gaara again. He'd said he loved him!_

_))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))_

"_Your stuff's still at your place isn't it?" Naruto asked as he took a bite of pizza._

"_Yeah. I kinda left in a hurry, no big deal though, it's not as if…oh no,"_

"_What?"_

"_I left my medication at home," Gaara's eyes were wide with horror. If he didn't take that medication he got fierce mood swings, a constant migraine and violent behaviour. _

_Naruto bite into his pizza slowly, thoughtfully._

"_Don't do it," Gaara snapped._

"_Don't do what?" Naruto asked vaguely, still staring into space._

"_Don't do what you're thinking of doing," Gaara said._

"_And what's that?" Naruto questioned._

"_Breaking into my house to get my things, Naruto it's far too dangerous you could be killed, my father's already seen your face there's no telling what he'd do to you if you were caught." Gaara said urgently._

"_Well then I'd better not get caught then eh? I've had just about enough of this guy, you have a right to a life of your own, besides you need those meds yeah? So I gotta get 'em," Naruto said standing up._

"_Naruto don't you dare go into that house! Please, for my sake if nothing else, don't go Naruto I'm begging you, don't go!"_

_Naruto, who had been walking to the door, stopped at Gaara's pleading. He was really worried for him. He turned back to see Gaara wiping his eyes. He died inside. He'd made Gaara cry._

"_Gaara…" he whispered. _

_Gaara, taking the hint, ran to Naruto, who held him tightly in his arms._

"_Promise me you won't go Naruto," Gaara said against his neck._

_Naruto never went against his word when he promised something, there must be a way to please Gaara but still leave the promise void so he could go anyway without Gaara's knowledge._

_Perhaps if he didn't say the words 'I promise'…_

_So he nodded instead. Gaara relaxed with an exhale and his grip loosened. _

"_Okay." He said, voice filled with exhaustion._

"_Come on Gaara, sleep now, you don't mind sharing a bed with me do you? Or do you want me to take the couch?" Naruto asked._

_Gaara let go of Naruto so he could see him properly. _

"_No, I don't mind." He said with a slight yawn. Naruto chuckled. "Okay then, bedtime for the runaway!" he sang._

_Gaara smiled tiredly as he allowed Naruto to fuss over him, eventually he settled into bed, next to Naruto._

"_I'm gonna work of my drawing for a little while okay Gaara?" Naruto asked._

"_M'kay," Gaara said sleepily, eyes drifting closed already. At least the good thing about not taking his medication was he could sleep better._

_The lamp stayed on so Naruto could draw, and soon Gaara fell asleep to the sound of the pencil scratching on the page in the warmth of Naruto's presence._

_This was happiness. This was love._

_This, was something Gaara would never give up, now he'd found it._

_Father be damned, he was keeping Naruto for good._

_He wasn't giving up._

_Not now, not ever._

_For Naruto._

_To be continued…_

_Damn that window is high!_ Naruto thought. How the heck was he supposed to get in that way?

_Screw this, I'm picking the lock,_ Naruto decided. _I have to hurry before Gaara realises I'm not coming to school!_

_~small flashback~_

"_You go on ahead okay? I'm gonna meet up with Sasuke," Naruto said._

"_Okay. Don't be late today," Gaara replied._

"_I won't don't you worry!" Naruto smiled._

_~end of small flashback~_

_Okay, I'm in the damn house. God it's clean isn't it? Too weird if you ask me, maybe that's why Gaara cleans up after me all the time, he's used to this level of cleanliness. Gross._

Naruto crept up the stairs two at a time, and came to a room that was more of a mess than his. Gaara mentioned something about his brother being messy, so this must be his room.

He went along the hall and opened a closed door that read: Enter and die.

This has gotta be Temari's room. He closed the door again without looking in it. He continued on to the next door, it was Gaara's, the meds on the bedside table proved that.

It was a good thing Gaara was so neat, all of his things were pretty much already packed, making it easier for Naruto to grab them and get out.

He managed to run most of his belongings back to his apartment, but when it came to his school things in his bag, he ran into Kankuro and Temari coming up the stairs.

Temari let out a scream, Naruto fell back on his butt and stared up at them.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

"Yeah and what are you doing in our house?" Kankuro added.

Naruto got angry at the two siblings, who Gaara said didn't care for him at all.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto and am here to get Gaara's things, even though he told me not to come I'm doing it anyway, so please don't get in my way." He said getting up.

"Gaara? Does that mean you've seen him? Is he okay? Are you his friend?" Temari's attitude changed when Naruto mentioned Gaara's name. He was confused.

"Yes I've seen him, convinced him to move in with me actually, he's fine, and I'm not his friend, I'm his _boy_friend," Naruto said.

"So that's where he went? Oh thank goodness I thought something had happened to him, that's a relief, he's finally gotten away from dad," Temari breathed out holding a hand to her heart.

"Did you say boyfriend?" Kankuro asked.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Naruto told the siblings about him and Gaara. They invited him down to the dining room and they talked over coffee. Apparently a caffeine addiction ran in the family.

The two elder Sabaku's told Naruto that they were terrified of their father, and they hated him for what he did to Gaara.

They'd tried to stop him, but every time they did it didn't do anything. They said that Gaara thought they hated him too, because it was all they could do while their father was around.

"He's a drinker, and a smoker, and a gambler, in short he's a terrible father, I don't know if I'd even cry at his funeral, I know Kankuro and Gaara wouldn't." Temari said sadly.

Kankuro nodded. "I hate the man. Hey, do you think you could take these to Gaara for us?" Kankuro handed him a couple of hastily written notes, Naruto nodded and pocketed them.

"If you leave notes and stuff for Gaara in a specific spot, I could take them to him if you don't want to get caught by your father," Naruto said.

"Yeah that's a good idea. How about that tree outside the school?" Kankuro asked. Naruto nodded. "That's fine, I go by there every day,"

"Sweet." Kankuro grinned. "You know, I like you kid, you're alright. You take care of my little brother 'kay?"

Naruto smiled. "I will don't you worry, that's a promise." Temari smiled.

It was then that Naruto remembered what time it was. He shot up in panic.

"Holy crap I totally forgot! Gaara told me not to come in case your dad caught me, he's going to be so mad at me if I don't turn up at school today, he'll know I came anyway!" he cried.

"Well hurry up and get outta here then!" Temari said urgently handing him Gaara's school stuff.

Naruto thanked them, left and after dropping off the stuff at his apartment, he ran as fast as he could to school. He prayed Sasuke was absent.

He got his answer when he burst into the classroom, half an hour late, and got a death glare in his direction from none other than Gaara. Naruto blanched. He knew what he'd been up to.

Naruto tried to talk to him during lunch, but the redhead ignored him. In the end he was practically running after him as Gaara went to the music room.

"Gaara please talk to me, say something!" he said desperately.

"Say something? How about you LIED to me!" Gaara suddenly shouted rounding on Naruto in the hall.

"You promised me you wouldn't go to that house, but you _lied _and went anyway! Despite what I told you, you deceived me and did it anyway! You betrayed me Naruto! It's Yashamaru all over again," he added.

This made Naruto froze. Gaara had told him in detail about Yashamaru, how he led Gaara to believe he loved him, then betrayed him and tried to kill him.

He hadn't done anything like that though, he hadn't led Gaara on…had he? He _had _led Gaara to believe he wasn't going to the Sabaku house, but he hadn't meant it like _that._

"But –"

"No! No buts Naruto, you lied – you LIED TO ME! How could you? You told me you wouldn't do that, what else have you lied to me about? Did you ever love me at all, or were you just messing with me?" Gaara slammed the music room door shut and locked it.

"Gaara of course I love you, how can you doubt that? I only did what I did because I knew you really needed those meds, I had to get them for you!" Naruto said through the door.

_It doesn't matter, he lied to me, what if he's lied to me about loving me?_

_And what if he hasn't? What if it's exactly like he says it is? He just wanted to help, and knew I wouldn't do it myself_

_I suppose…_

_But he still lied to me!_

_So what? It was to protect me wasn't it? That doesn't make it wrong_

_It doesn't make it right either though_

_AAARGH! This is impossible!_

"You still lied. It's not why you did it, it's what you did. You said you wouldn't, and you _did. That's _what I care about. You lied Naruto." Gaara said.

"…I know. I'm sorry Gaara, I only wanted to help. If you come home, you're stuff's in the bedroom okay? I put your meds in the bathroom, and brought some with me today, since you have to take them three times a day. I'll just leave them out here, so take them okay? I'm gonna go find Sasuke and leave you alone for a bit. I'm sorry. I love you," Naruto walked away after that.

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Gaara opened the door, and he found his meds just like Naruto had said. He was trying to be sweet, trying to help, and all he did was hurt him in return. He was a horrible person.

_No I'm not! He's the one who lied!_

_Yeah, so what? So he lied, who cares? Everything he does, he does for me, he does with me in mind, why can't I just be grateful he cares that much to go against me to help?_

_What do I know for real? I know he lied, I know he tricked me – _

_Oh just shut up! Stop being so damn negative all the time, lighten up and realise someone cares! Grow up and move on from the past!_

_The past was a pretty big deal, it taught me –_

_The wrong way to look at life!_

_LEAVE ME ALONE DAMMIT!_

The voices abruptly vanished. Gaara, fearing for his sanity, took his meds and felt a little better. He shakily looked in the instrument racks for his violin, and began to play the first thing that came to mind.

Naruto's Song.

Well, at least that's what he'd called it. The first time he'd played in front of someone, Naruto, he made up a melody on the spot and remembered every note.

He realised he'd written it for Naruto. So he called it Naruto's Song. Not a good melody to be playing considering he was supposed to be mad at him.

He should write words for the song. Yeah that's a good idea, and it might help sort out his feelings for Naruto once and for all.

As Gaara played, he thought up words, stopping every now and then to write them down next to the melody notes.

_Golden as the sun, blue as the sea, whiskered like a Cheshire Cat he came to me,_

_My ice melted, my clouds chased away, it's been blue skies ever since that day,_

_The world has twisted, the world has turned, my defences have been burned,_

_But I don't care, I hate to say it, but I love you, you pulled me out of my pit,_

_Golden as the sun, blue as the sea, whiskered like a Cheshire Cat you came to me,_

_My ice melted, my clouds chased away, it's been blue skies ever since that day,_

_Since that day, I've loved you all along, that's why to you I wrote this song,_

_And I really hate to say it, but I love you more than life, since you saved me from strife,_

_Golden as the sun, blue as the sea, whiskered like a Cheshire Cat he came to me,_

_Blue skies ever since that day._

That seemed fitting. Just as Gaara was finished writing, there was a knock on the door.

Gaara was surprise to see the Uchiha standing there.

"Uchiha…?" Gaara frowned.

Sasuke smirked and came into the room, "Never pegged you as a muso, you're okay. I was wrong about you I guess," he said shrugging. "Nice song, Naruto will like it,"

From the Uchiha prodigy, that was a golden apology, and Gaara put away his violin to listen to him.

"Glad to hear it. I guess I was wrong about you too," Gaara replied leaning over the piano where Sasuke had seated himself.

Sasuke smiled. "Looks like we got off on the wrong foot before, well I did anyway. Look, I'll get right to the point. I'm here to ask you why you're torturing Naruto for helping you,"

"Pardon?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as if to say 'are you serious? You think he wouldn't tell me?'

"He's my best friend, and when I found him in hysterics I asked him what was wrong, and he told me everything. Listen, I can understand your mistrust in people, I had the same thing when my brother killed my family, but Naruto taught me it's okay to move on in life, and no offense Gaara but you need to get over it, and live in the here and now." Sasuke said seriously.

"Naruto's really devoted to you, I've never seen him like this with anyone else before and, to be honest, I don't want to either. He's finally found someone he wants to spend forever with, and I don't want to see him lose that. So just give him the benefit of the doubt, and go talk to him 'kay? Whadda think?"

Gaara had never thought he'd ever owe the Uchiha. He'd helped him with the last piece of the puzzle. He knew exactly what to do now.

He stood up. "Sasuke…"

Sasuke held up his hands. "No, don't thank me, just go find him." He said humbly. Gaara obeyed him instantly.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

He wondered briefly where Naruto would go. Then he knew.

Gaara ran out of the school and down the streets, he climbed up the hill and came to the fence, he jumped it and one go.

He slowed down and walked right up to the tree. Climbing Old Man Oak on his own was kinda freaky, but he didn't look down once, so he soon made it to the top.

"Naruto!"

The crying blonde looked up at the shout. "G-Gaara…?" he chocked.

"Oh Naruto, I'm sorry I acted the way I did, I overreacted, it was wrong of me and I'm sorry." Gaara climbed up to the branch where Naruto was and the blonde hugged him tightly.

"I'm just not used to this kind of thing, but I'll get better I promise," Gaara said kissing the top of the blonde's head.

"That's okay. I'm okay, really. Just tell me you still love me," Naruto said into his shoulder.

Gaara sighed and pulled back, he kissed Naruto slowly.

"I still love you. Do you want to go back to school?"

Naruto shook his head. "Can we go home?" He asked. Gaara smiled and nodded.

Naruto had to help Gaara back down the tall tree, but then they headed home, they could catch up school tomorrow.

"Oh Gaara?" Naruto said as they got home.

"Yeah?"

"When I got your stuff, I ran into Kankuro and Temari," Naruto began.

"_You what?_" Gaara cried.

"Woah calm down there cowboy, look it's alright okay, they told me all this stuff and they gave me these to give you," Naruto went on to tell him about what Kankuro and Temari had said to him.

Gaara was silent by the end. He took the notes robotically and Naruto went into the bedroom to give him some privacy.

With a deep breath, he opened the notes. The first was from Temari;

_Dear Gaara,_

_I know I've never been much of a sister to you, but I've wanted to all these years. Dad's wrong about you, you're a wonderfully bright boy, and don't let anyone tell you different. I wanted to be there for you when we were kids, I wanted to read you bedtime stories and get you stuffed toys for your birthdays, and tell you you were my special little brother and that I'd always love you, but dad was always there behind me, keeping me away from you. He scared me, but he doesn't scare me anymore, I'm not scared anymore. I love you little brother, and I want you to know that if you ever need anything that your Naruto can't give you, like advice or just some sisterly company, don't hesitate to find me. I want us to trust each other, I want us to be a family. Forget dad, he's not important, when we move out he'll be out of the picture forever, and we'll really be a proper family. But until then, just feel free to tell me anything you need to, I'll be there for you Gaara. I promise I won't let you down again, like I have in the past._

_Your loving sister,_

_Temari._

Even though Gaara was now crying, half in sadness and half in happiness, he opened the next one from his brother;

_Hey Gaara,_

_How's my little bro doin'? Better from what that Uzumaki kid tells me. That's good. I'm glad you finally got away from dad, that you're happy. I'm just sorry you couldn't be happy with us. I've never felt much like a big brother to you, 'coz to be honest you weren't all there sometimes. Not that it's your fault, it's mostly dad's, but it's mine and Temari's as well. I should have been there for you. But I can be now, if you want. If you ever need anything, but give me a shout yeah? I'll drop whatever I'm doing to help I swear. I love you little brother, never forget that._

_Your big brother,_

_Kankuro. _

Gaara wiped his eyes and folded the notes, placing them on the bench he went into the bedroom to Naruto.

Naruto said nothing, neither did Gaara. They simply say in silence, after a little while Gaara leaned into Naruto, and Naruto wrapped his arms around him, Gaara's arms slipping around his waist comfortably.

They stayed like that until eventually, they fell asleep in each other's arms. It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough.

Gaara figured he owed the Uchiha. He'd heard that he had a thing for Hyuga Neji, maybe if he pulled some strings…

Yeah, he owed Sasuke that much.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Sasuke knew right away when those two didn't come back to school that they'd made up.

_A happy ending eh? Well it'll do I suppose, _he thought wryly.

Well, it wasn't quite the happy ending just yet.

As he walked out of the school, he saw Gaara talking to Neji at the gates. The two seemed engrossed in conversation, then Gaara sensed his presence he looked up, grinning slyly.

Sasuke got closer curiously. Neji looked up and smiled. He said some more to Gaara before the redhead nodded and walked away, waving to Sasuke as he did so.

"Uchiha Sasuke right?" Neji said as Sasuke reached him.

Sasuke smirked in typical Uchiha pride. "Yeah, Hyuga Neji isn't it?" he replied.

Neji laughed. "Any plans this afternoon Uchiha?" he asked.

Sasuke's heart skipped a beat. Thank you Gaara! He looked back at Neji coolly.

"Nope. Why, you buying Hyuga?"

Neji grinned. "Maybe." He said suggestively.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I'm all yours," he said.

They laughed and walked off together.

"My place or yours?" Neji asked.

Sasuke smirked. "Not so fast Hyuga, you buy me dinner first, then we'll talk. Better be a good place too," he said.

Neji chuckled. "You got it. Uchiha's are supposed to have great taste so I hear, you choose the place and I'll buy," he replied.

"No problem. Make way for the Uchiha bitches!" he yelled at the girls blocking their way on the street, the girls blushed, giggled, and moved out of the way immediately.

Neji laughed at Sasuke's broad grin. "Nice one Sasuke," he said.

"Like that one? There's plenty more where that came from my man, lemme tell ya. This way my dear Neji, allow me to show you the world of flavours," Sasuke grinned.

"Lead the way."

From the shadows, Naruto and Gaara smirked, looking at each other they burst into laughter. Their work here was done.

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Father did WHAT?" Temari screeched.

Kankuro cringed. "He's got that damn Akatsuki on Naruto's trail, somehow he found out that's where Gaara was," he said dismally.

"But the Akatsuki are ruthless! They'll kill him! We have to warn them," Temari insisted.

"I know I know, but what about dad?" Kankuro said.

"Fuck dad!" Temari snapped.

Kankuro blinked at the use of such a word coming from his sister. "…Okay. We'll go now before he gets home," he said blankly.

Temari and Kankuro went down the road and knocked on Naruto's apartment door.

"It's kinda late, maybe they're asleep," Kankuro said looking at his watch.

But Gaara and Naruto came to the door soon after, Gaara blinked at seeing his siblings again.

It had been about a week since he had received their first notes, since then they'd communicated with notes via Naruto, so he was surprised to find them at the door.

They ushered the two in, and they all sat around in the kitchen, the largest room in the apartment.

"What's happened?" Gaara asked sitting next to Kankuro by the bench.

Temari sighed. "Dad's found out you're with Naruto, and he's set the Akatsuki on his tail," she said.

"He's done _what?" _Gaara screeched. Kankuro cringed again.

"What is it with this family? Can't you people have a freak out _without _screeching in my ear?" he complained.

Gaara ignored him, looking at Naruto, who was looking thoughtful.

"…You don't care do you?" he asked flatly. Naruto shook his head.

"Naruto I cannot believe you, do you have a death wish?" Gaara stood up abruptly.

"I know these Akatsuki guys, Sasuke's brother joined them after he killed the Uchiha family. I also know Sasori of the Red Sands, Deidara, he used to be a friend of mind, and Madara, I know a lot of them. There's not many ways to outsmart them, but I gotta a way. Don't try and run," Naruto said calmly.

"What? Are you crazy?" Temari gasped.

Gaara glared at him. "What are you talking about?" he asked. Naruto smiled secretively.

Sighing, Gaara moved over and sat in front of Naruto. "What are you planning?" he repeated.

"If the target doesn't try to hide, like they usually do, they start to think it's a trap. They grow cautious, giving the target enough time to formulate a plan. Simple," Naruto said.

"But what if you're wrong? That's very dangerous, you're playing with your life in this game Naruto," Kankuro pointed out.

"Well, if I'm wrong then –"

"You'll die." Gaara cut in. He stopped glaring to sigh and lower his head. "Please don't make me attend another loved one's funeral Naruto," he said quietly.

"Gaara…" Naruto turned thoughtful again.

"I know. Sasuke!" Naruto jumped up and dialled his best friends number. The Sabaku family looked on curiously.

"Hello?" Sasuke said on the other end.

"Hey Sasuke it's Naruto,"

"Oh, hey Naruto, what's up?"

"Well I gotta problem."

"Oh?"

"You know the Akatsuki?"

"…Yeah, why?"

A sigh. "Gaara's dad has got them on my tail for some reason,"

"WHAT? You gotta be kidding! Get over here right now Naruto," Sasuke said urgently.

"Hang on a sec, I've got Gaara and his siblings here, I –"

"You can bring them here with you, they're in danger from their dad if he finds out they're with you right?"

"Yeah…"

"Simple then, we gotta take down that man, and hide from the Akatsuki at the same time,"

"What? Sasuke I don't want you to get caught up in this,"

"Well you shouldn't have called me, now I'm in it, deal with it."

"I thought you hated Gaara."

Sigh. "I did but…he's grown on me. Call me back when you're ready to head over here, I got an idea,"

The phone went dead and Naruto hung up the phone.

"Sasuke wants us to hide at his place until we can do something about your dad. He says he's got a plan to take your dad and the Akatsuki down at the same time, but I don't know what," Naruto said tiredly.

Kankuro and Temari and Gaara looked at each other, like they were communicating telepathically.

"…Well, dad's gonna find out eventually, so I'm in," Kankuro said after a while.

Temari grinned. "I'll stay as an inside operative if you don't mind," she said.

"Wherever you go Naruto, I'm right behind you," Gaara said with utter confidence.

Naruto was touched. "Okay then, we'll pack up a few things and meet back here before heading to Sasuke's place."

Kankuro nodded. "You got it. Let's go Temari,"

Temari got up, kissed Gaara's forehead, and smiled sweetly at Naruto, then left with Kankuro.

Naruto sighed as he heard the click of the door lock. Gaara looked at him.

"Hey, don't worry about it, it'll be alright," Naruto said soothingly stroking his fingers through his red hair.

"Right." Gaara sighed through his nose and leaned into Naruto. "Aren't you scared at all?"

"Nope. Don't have time to be scared, I have to make sure your dad doesn't try anything at you while I'm being shot at by the Akatsuki, it could be merely a distraction so he can get to you," Naruto said.

That was a lie. He was very scared. So scared that if he didn't have Gaara to worry about he'd be curled in a ball in a corner sobbing uncontrollably.

But of course he wouldn't tell Gaara that. He couldn't let his precious person worry any more than he already was, it was his turn so a little happiness, and no Akatsuki would spoil that.

Naruto wouldn't let it.

"Come on Gaara, you get a few things packed, I'm going to warn the folks downstairs in case the Akatsuki hit their place instead of mine," Naruto said.

"I thought you said they were never home,"

"I said they weren't home regularly. They could be home now for all I know. I won't be long,"

Gaara looked like he wanted to protest, but he obeyed Naruto with a chaste kiss.

Naruto went outside and down the stairs, he knocked on the door to the apartment. He got no answer, he knocked again and there was still no answer.

The folks were obviously on holiday again.

Naruto walked out into the cool street, breathing in the air deeply, and thinking.

What would be the Akatsuki's first move?

His answer came in the form of screeching of tyres and shouting.

Before he knew what was happening, an large object hit him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

Naruto fell on the cold ground, then was picked up and shoved into the back of a van, where he was tied up and gagged.

As the van went screeching into the night, Gaara looked out the window.

Quickly he dialled his sister's number.

"Hello?" Temari said as she answered.

"They've taken him, he's gone Temari." Gaara chocked.

"What? Stay right there, we'll be there in a second." Temari hung up and Gaara sat by the window, as it started to rain.

To be continued….

**Oooh, what will happen next chapter? If I get more than seven reviews on this chapter, I'll make it very happy, romantic ending, if not, Naruto will DIE! And Lee will get with Gaara. So get reviewing! Next chapter will either be the last, or the second last, but rest assured it will be awesome! **


	5. Chapter 4

**Okay so I'm thinking of making this the last chapter, then writing an epilogue chapter after this one. Anyway, it's my birthday Jan 9****th**** so I'm taking like a three-day holiday from writing to have a party with my friends, but then on the 19****th**** I'm writing a birthday fic for Gaara, as a sequel to my Naruto birthday fic, so I'll try to have this finished before then but no promises.**

_Previously…_

"_Sasuke wants us to hide at his place until we can do something about your dad. He says he's got a plan to take your dad and the Akatsuki down at the same time, but I don't know what," Naruto said tiredly._

_Kankuro and Temari and Gaara looked at each other, like they were communicating telepathically._

"…_Well, dad's gonna find out eventually, so I'm in," Kankuro said after a while._

_Temari grinned. "I'll stay as an inside operative if you don't mind," she said._

"_Wherever you go Naruto, I'm right behind you," Gaara said with utter confidence._

_Naruto was touched. "Okay then, we'll pack up a few things and meet back here before heading to Sasuke's place."_

_Kankuro nodded. "You got it. Let's go Temari," _

_Temari got up, kissed Gaara's forehead, and smiled sweetly at Naruto, then left with Kankuro._

_Naruto sighed as he heard the click of the door lock. Gaara looked at him._

"_Hey, don't worry about it, it'll be alright," Naruto said soothingly stroking his fingers through his red hair._

"_Right." Gaara sighed through his nose and leaned into Naruto. "Aren't you scared at all?"_

"_Nope. Don't have time to be scared, I have to make sure your dad doesn't try anything at you while I'm being shot at by the Akatsuki, it could be merely a distraction so he can get to you," Naruto said._

_That was a lie. He was very scared. So scared that if he didn't have Gaara to worry about he'd be curled in a ball in a corner sobbing uncontrollably._

_But of course he wouldn't tell Gaara that. He couldn't let his precious person worry any more than he already was, it was his turn so a little happiness, and no Akatsuki would spoil that._

_Naruto wouldn't let it._

"_Come on Gaara, you get a few things packed, I'm going to warn the folks downstairs in case the Akatsuki hit their place instead of mine," Naruto said._

"_I thought you said they were never home,"_

"_I said they weren't home regularly. They could be home now for all I know. I won't be long,"_

_Gaara looked like he wanted to protest, but he obeyed Naruto with a chaste kiss._

_Naruto went outside and down the stairs, he knocked on the door to the apartment. He got no answer, he knocked again and there was still no answer._

_The folks were obviously on holiday again._

_Naruto walked out into the cool street, breathing in the air deeply, and thinking._

_What would be the Akatsuki's first move?_

_His answer came in the form of screeching of tyres and shouting._

_Before he knew what was happening, an large object hit him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold._

_Naruto fell on the cold ground, then was picked up and shoved into the back of a van, where he was tied up and gagged._

_As the van went screeching into the night, Gaara looked out the window. _

_Quickly he dialled his sister's number._

"_Hello?" Temari said as she answered._

"_They've taken him, he's gone Temari." Gaara chocked._

"_What? Stay right there, we'll be there in a second." Temari hung up and Gaara sat by the window, as it started to rain._

_To be continued…._

Naruto opened his eyes and groaned as soon as a light invaded them.

After a while he opened his eyes again. _Where the hell am I? _He looked around the room he was tied up in. It was a cell, and Naruto realised he was in the old prison.

There'd been rumours that the Akatsuki had set up shop here, and apparently it was true. So, that's his location solved. Now for the next question, what would happen next?

_Are they going to kill me? Man it's cold in here, makes it more scary…what was that? I swear I heard a noise… wait no, it was nothing. Oh brother I'm getting scared._

Naruto observed that not only were his hands and feet tied with rope, a chain around his neck also bolted him to the wall behind him.

His breath came out in clouds due to the low temperature. He wished Gaara was there.

_No wait, no I don't! if he was he'd be tied up too, _he thought.

He sighed as he thought of Gaara. Would he be worried? Would he curse Naruto's foolishness in going outside that night? Would he wish he never met Naruto?

There wasn't much point in thinking this, there was no one to answer his questions. He just prayed whatever Gaara did, he'd stay safe.

Naruto tried to move, but ended up nearly chocking himself. He tried to squirm his wrists out of their bonds, but they were tied tight and wouldn't budge.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you, un!" came a deadly voice.

Well, not really 'deadly' in Naruto's opinion.

"You were never good at intimidating Dei," Naruto said.

Deidara scowled. "Don't call me that, our friendship is long over un!"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Never were much of a gangster, I see your fortunes haven't improved much over the years,"

Deidara backhanded him viciously. "Shut up you little worm!" he snapped.

"Don't Deidara, our client needs him alive," came another voice.

It was Itachi. Naruto glared and spat in his direction hatefully.

"Yeah but he never specified he had to be unharmed un!" Deidara pointed out.

Itachi shrugged one shoulder. "True. Don't get too carried away though," he said.

Deidara grinned, "Finally, I get some action un! Can I call in Kisame too?"

Itachi slapped him across the face roughly. "Of course not, Kisame's my partner, yours is Sasori, make do with him," he said.

"But Itaaaachi, Sasori doesn't like me un!" Deidara whined rubbing his cheek.

"I don't care, Kisame's on a job right now anyway and I'm late to meet him, make do with Sasori or don't do it at all," Itachi replied.

"Can I have Hidan?" Deidara asked.

"…No. Sasori or no one, take it or leave it," with that Itachi left the cell.

Deidara sighed. "Fine. Yo Sasori my man! Come help me torture this rat un!"

Naruto gulped. Torture?

"Very well. Let's have some fun then Deidara," Sasori rumbled.

Deidara grinned sadistically. "I'm gonna enjoy this un!"

))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Sasuke! Hey, Sasuke!" Gaara waved Sasuke over to his sister's car where he and his siblings stood.

"I got your call, what the hell happened?" Sasuke panted after he ran over to them.

"The Akatsuki took him about five minutes after he got off the phone to you," Kankuro said.

Sasuke groaned. "I was afraid of that. Okay, do any of you know any of the members of the Akatsuki?"

Kankuro and Temari looked at each other. Kankuro spoke, "I know of Sasori, he was a puppet-maker like me back in Suna, real famous too. But after the company sacked him he joined the Akatsuki,"

Sasuke looked down the road absently, lost in thought.

"And my brother's one of them too. His partner's Kisame from the Mist, and Sasori's partner is Deidara, that damn psycho artist whose business crashed because of the ANBU Black Ops group," Sasuke said.

"Sasuke…do have any idea where they would take him?" Temari asked hesitantly, not really comfortable in the presence of a stranger.

"Maybe. I'm gonna need your help though. Temari, can you look in the sawmill, the warehouse outside of town?"

Temari nodded and got back into her car.

"Kankuro, I'll need you to check out the abandoned asylum in town,"

Kankuro nodded and got in his own car and heading back into town.

"Gaara, you and I are going to the old prison, I've heard rumours that the Akatsuki have been using the place for a home base," Sasuke said.

Gaara nodded silently. He reminded Sasuke of the old Gaara, the anti-social Gaara that had come unwillingly to Konoha with his estranged family all that time ago. He was just as silent then too.

"Come on then, we'd better get going,"

Silently, Gaara followed Sasuke through the streets, his mouth in a hard line. Sasuke knew that look, it was the look Naruto got whenever he was determined or concentrating really hard.

The thought of Naruto made Sasuke pick up his pace, there was no telling what the Akatsuki would do to him if they didn't hurry!

))))))))))))))))))))

"You overdid it again Deidara, that's why Itachi never lets you do the torturing," Sasori said lazily.

Deidara shrugged. "So? It's not like our client will protest, un." he said.

There was that word again. _Client. _Gaara's dad was the client, but what did he want with Naruto?

Said Naruto was fighting for consciousness, Deidara had indeed overdid it as Sasori pointed out.

Naruto couldn't see very well, his arms – now untied – lay useless on the ground beside him. He was covered in cuts and bruises and his windpipe had been partly crushed, making it hard to breathe.

_Reminds me of the time Deidara used to beat me up at school, _Naruto thought dimly.

He heard a faint rattling sound, then footsteps, he heard whispering – or was that just in his head? – then the footsteps resumed.

Deidara went to open the door, and a man stepped in, looking bored. This had to be Gaara's dad, he was the spitting image of Kankuro.

"Is this the kid then?" Gaara's father asked carelessly. Deidara nodded.

"Bring him out, I hear Gaara's looking for him, and I want the kid to be the first thing he sees,"

"Very well. Get him up Deidara," Sasori said.

Deidara sighed heavily and slung Naruto over his shoulder carelessly. He would have screamed in pain if he wasn't so focused on breathing.

Naruto was thrown onto the ground somewhere near the entrance, where the light was even worse and it was colder than before in the isolation cell.

No matter what Naruto did, he couldn't move more than a few inches.

Gaara's father went somewhere out of sight, while Sasori and Deidara left to go somewhere else in the building.

Naruto thought he knew what was going on. He was being used as bait for Gaara. He prayed Gaara was far away from the prison.

With a sinking he heart he heard a soft curse.

"Dammit I can hardly see in here," a voice said.

"Will you shut up? I don't particularly want to be heard and killed thank you very much Uchiha," another voice snapped quietly. Gaara!

His beloved was here, with Sasuke. _No! No, go away, get away from here! _He thought in his mind.

Then with one blurry eye he saw the fuzzy outline of Sasuke, his Uchiha crest on his shirt instantly recognisable.

"Gaara down here," he called.

"Where's down here pray tell?" then Gaara was in view.

_Too late. _Naruto thought_. They're dead._

))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Gaara thought something wasn't right. Naruto was right in the open, rather than hidden in a cell somewhere.

His feet were bound, and by the looks of it, his arms were broken. Gaara felt his rage boil at the sight of his loved one.

"Come on let's go," Sasuke moved forward and Gaara followed.

"Not so fast boys," came a voice.

They two looked right and they saw a man step out of the shadows, a gun in his hand.

"Father." Gaara spat.

"How dare you call me that!" Gaara's father snarled.

Gaara smirked. "You really think it's that easy? That I'm just going to come crawling back if you have a gun pointed at my head? Do it, see if I care," he threatened.

"Well, if you really want it that way, then fine," Gaara's father pulled the trigger on his handgun.

"No!" Naruto managed to shout.

The bullet sailed through the air and hit Gaara right in the head. Only he didn't fall. The bullet went straight through.

Naruto, confused as ever, watched as Sasuke and Gaara disappeared. He heard a click and suddenly Gaara was standing behind his father, a gun held to the back of his head.

Sasuke came in from the other side of the room and knelt beside Naruto. He grinned.

"Hey dobe. Good trick eh? My brother taught it to me when I was little, ironic that it came in handy," he said.

"Wh…what did you do?" Naruto rasped.

"Holographic projectors, I didn't have long to set them up but it worked alright. Gaara, switch places, this is your job I think." Sasuke got up and, pulling out his own gun, stole Gaara's father's from his hand.

Gaara nodded to Sasuke, glared at his father, then went to Naruto.

He untied his feet and helped him sit up, Naruto coughed weakly a couple of times and Gaara sighed. He kissed him softly. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Naruto looked down at his arms. "Hm. I don't think so," he said quietly.

Gaara's father gagged. "Should have known you were a poof," he spat. Sasuke hit him roughly with the butt of his gun.

"Oi! That's my best mate's boyfriend you're talkin' to buster, and I don't who the hell you are, you ain't treatin' him like that in front of me, got it?" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto looked from Sasuke to Gaara, then back to Sasuke. He chuckled weakly. "Looks like you two really hit it off," he said.

Gaara smiled a little. "We have come to an agreement, yes," he said.

"Enough of this soap opera," Gaara's father snarled. With lightning speed he punched Sasuke and took back his gun, pointing it straight at Gaara.

Sasuke tried to stop him but ended up getting shot in the shoulder, and the side. Naruto moved an inch to help Sasuke and he was shot in the leg.

Gaara took up his gun again and shot his father straight through the head. His father fell to the ground motionless.

Gaara got up and shot him three more times, just to make sure. Then he pulled out his mobile and dialled Temari's number.

He told her what had happened in summary and where they were. Soon, she and Kankuro were at the prison, and were getting the injured teens to hospital.

))))))))))))))))))

It was the second time Naruto had woken up in a strange place. A second time the he groaned when light hit his eyes, but the first time he opened his eyes to a smiling Gaara.

"You're awake earlier than expected, the doctor's said that medicine was supposed to knock you out for about twelve hours," he said.

"And how long have I been out?" Naruto asked.

"About six." Gaara answered.

Naruto looked to the ceiling. He heaved a sigh. "Is Sasuke okay?"

"He's doing fine, I saw him not two hours ago, he told me to tell you he's okay. Only he won't be in school for about three weeks." Gaara said.

"And your father…you killed him didn't you?"

"…I did." Gaara looked away from Naruto. "…It was easy. That frightens me. He, as you know, is not the first person I've killed, but it was defiantly the easiest."

"I'm proud of you Gaara," Naruto said quietly closing his eyes.

"You what?" Gaara snapped his head back to Naruto. "Y-You don't hate me?"

Gaara imagined Naruto's closed eyes rolling in amusement.

"Don't you remember what I told you before? I'll never stop loving you Gaara, and this doesn't change anything." He said.

"…You're incredible you know," Gaara smiled a little. Naruto opened his eyes and sat up carefully. "Am I?" he asked slyly.

He slid over and kissed Gaara, and though Gaara knew they were in a hospital, and they really shouldn't be kissing in case someone came in, he kissed Naruto back all the same.

_Screw what the others think, _he thought. His mind, at last, only had one voice left in it, _his _voice. No more headache-causing arguments. He was totally at peace.

And it was all thanks to Naruto.

**The end! Don't worry, I'll be doing an epilogue chapter after this one, and it's about something already mentioned in one of the chapters…see if you can figure it out. Until then, thanks to all my people who waited so patiently for the chapters, and who stuck by the story (even though it sucked sometimes) this is my first multi-chapter story for Naruto if you believe it, I usually do one long chapter or quick one-shots, so this was a nice change of pace for me. Hope you all enjoyed it, and look out the the epilogue, the final chapter! Oh and Happy New Year to everyone!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Yay! The final chapter is here! Bow down to me mortals, for I am your QUEEN! Ahem, anyway here it is folks.**

**Gaara: Zammie4eva, the ever-annoying-yaoi-writer, has forgotten to do the disclaimer for this story, so I will do it for her. Zammie4eva-san does not own Naruto.**

**Zamme4eva: Hey! That's not very nice Gaara!**

**Gaara: I'm not a nice person.**

**Naruto: Aw come on Gaa-chan, you're plenty nice!**

**Zammie4eva: *groan* can we just get on with the chapter please?**

**Epilogue – the annual dance**

"Come on Naruto, we're going to be late," Gaara called from the doorway of their apartment.

The annual dance was that night, almost a year since Gaara had got together with Naruto.

"Yeah I'm nearly ready!" Naruto called out.

Gaara sighed. He was probably having trouble with his tie. He went back to their shared bedroom, and sure enough, he was having trouble with his yellow tie.

"How do you make it look so easy Gaara?" Naruto huffed in irritation.

Gaara walked over to the irritated blonde and took the tie in his hands. Naruto gave a contended sigh as Gaara's hands got to work. With a few tugs and pulls, the tie was perfectly in place.

He raised his eyes and smirked suggestively at his boyfriends' expression. He used the tie to pull Naruto into a lip-lock.

Naruto wrapped his around Gaara's waist, Gaara's arms coming to wrap around Naruto's neck. Naruto untucked Gaara's shirt under his jacket and stroked the pale skin underneath.

"Na…Naruto, we have to go," Gaara gasped even though he didn't let Naruto go.

"Oh come on, we can get a little carried away, screw the damn dance," Naruto said licking the shell of Gaara's ear. He shivered.

"We have dinner plans after the dance remember? With Sasuke and Neji, we can't let them wait," Gaara said finally letting go of Naruto.

"They're probably thinking of doing the same thing we are, they won't mind." Naruto argued.

"Naruto." Gaara said sternly. Naruto sighed. He knew that tone all too well. It was the I'm-not-taking-no-for-an-answer-so-shut-up-and-stop-whining-tone.

And so he let go of Gaara, who tucked his shirt back in and picked up Naruto's dinner jacket.

Sighing, Naruto grabbed his car keys and they left for the school. It was actually Gaara's car inherited from his father after his 'accidental' death caused by a misfire of his handgun.

But he'd given it to Naruto in October for his birthday. Naruto had re-designed it so it looked nothing like the old car.

The sleek orange Nissan pulled up to the school parking lot and they got out.

"Naruto! Gaara!" Temari called waving to them. It was hers and Kankuro's last dance at the school, as they were on their way to college in the new year.

Temari, dressed in a long black gown, was standing there with her long-term and somewhat-reluctant boyfriend Shikamaru, and Kankuro was walking in with Sakura, looking very pretty in a sparkly pink dress.

Naruto and Gaara waved back and met up with Sasuke and Neji before walking in.

"Wow, they outdid themselves this year eh?" Naruto marvelled at the transformation the gym had undertaken.

"Yeah, better than last year's by far." Sasuke agreed.

"Only because we've got dates this year, we had to go by ourselves last year," Naruto pointed out. Sasuke shrugged and didn't deny it.

"Oi Naruto, come over here would you?" Kiba called.

Kiba's relationship with Naruto had improved, thanks to Gaara speaking privately with Hinata about it (not that Naruto knew that) and they were now pretty good friends.

While Naruto went off to drink punch with Kiba and Hinata, dressed in a beautiful lilac gown, Neji excused himself to dance with Tenten as he'd promised earlier that year.

Gaara and Sasuke had gotten closer over the year too, and he now considered Sasuke a good friend.

"What a year," Sasuke sighed.

"Indeed." Gaara agreed.

"Next year's senior year, then it's off to college, you'll keep in touch with us won't you two, when you're off in wherever you are?" Sasuke said.

"Of course. Naruto and I will be in America, his English is much better than mine, but that's fine since I'll be tutoring children in the Japanese language," Gaara replied.

"America. Man that's like a world away. Neji and I are going to Tokyo. I'm gonna be a lawyer, Neji and doctor. We're moving in together, what do you think?"

Gaara smiled. "I'm happy for you two."

Sasuke smiled back. "Thanks. Don't forget about us when you and Naruto are living in some huge mansion and Naruto's a famous artist,"

Gaara shook his head. "We won't."

"Oh, hey Gaara can you come here for a sec?" Naruto called.

He'd left Kiba and was over the other side of the gym, Gaara nodded to Sasuke and followed Naruto.

Naruto led him out the back of the gym, and they came to a storeroom with the lights on.

"You know that art assignment we got all that time back?" Naruto asked. Gaara nodded.

"Well, I asked for an extension, and I finally finished it. Look," Naruto uncovered an object and Gaara's eyes widened to the size of plates.

Under the cloth, there was a beautiful stain glass window, the colours were vivid and textured. And the picture was of Gaara, smiling sweetly and sitting on a branch of Old Man Oak.

"Naruto…it's beautiful," Gaara whispered reaching out to stroke the coloured window.

"Kurenai-sensei wants to replace the window in the art room with it, so I'm going to make a copy to put up at home," Naruto said.

Gaara was proud of the work Naruto had completed, he kissed him softly. "You're amazing," he said.

Naruto smiled. "What do you say we skip the dance huh? We can always catch up with Sasuke and Neji later,"

Finally, Gaara agreed. They never made it to dinner, but like Naruto had said, they didn't mind in the slightest.

*******ten years later********

"Excuse me Kurenai-sensei?" a sixteen-year-old Yuki Saru asked her art teacher in the middle of their class.

"Yes dear?" Kurenai said turning to her.

"Who's that on that stained glass window?" the class looked at the window she pointed to, wondering the same thing. Kurenai smiled warmly.

"Oh, that's an old student Sabaku no Gaara, who attended this school ten years ago. His boyfriend, Uzumaki Naruto, made that window for an art assignment where you had to draw a loved one." She explained.

"Naruto-sama? You mean the famous artist?" one students exclaimed.

"Yes indeed. You know Naruto-kun personally don't you Keisha?" Kurenai-sensei said looking at a blonde girl at the back.

"Naruto-ojisan? Yes, he's Gaara-ojisan's partner, whose my mother's brother." Keisha Sabaku said proudly.

"Woah really? Have you met him before? What's he like?" Keisha was bombarded with questions from the other children, like she was a movie star.

Kurenai-sensei smiled as she looked at the window her old student made all those years ago.

_It looks like your dream was realised Naruto-kun, you made your mark in the world after all, _she though fondly.

The end.

**Yeah so that's my little epilogue, pretty short I know but to tell the truth, I ran out of ideas half-way through writing it. Anyway, there it is, for what it's worth. Don't forget to review! And thank you again to everyone who's stuck with the story through its stages. Don't forget to look for my new fic 'Gaara's Special Surprise' about Gaara's birthday. No M rated yaoi sorry, I need to tone it down for a bit, so it'll only be mild yaoi.**

**Happy New Year everyone! **

**Zammie4eva.**


End file.
